The servitors of Baripada Jagannath temple along with the local residents requested the Odisha government to allow celebration of Rath Yatra in the town without participation of devotees. After Odisha government allowed Rath Yatra this year only in Puri, the Baripada residents urged the government to allow conduct of Ratha Yatra amid all Covid-19 protocols in Baripada town, which is known as the second Srikhetra.
Saturday night, the servitors and the people of Baripada staged a novel protest against the government's decision by lightening lamps in front of the temple. In view of the second wave of the pandemic, a decision was taken by the state government to allow Rath Yatra this year only in Puri without devotees and completely ban the festival in all other places.