Gujarat: Ahmedabad Police reunite 64 missing children with families during Rath Yatra

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Ahmedabad, July 17 (IANS) The Ahmedabad City Police reunited 64 children who had gone missing during the 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra with their parents and guardians after deploying 17 public assistance centres along the procession route to help devotees and respond to emergencies, officials said on Friday.

According to the officials, the temporary ‘Jan Sahayata Kendras’ (Public Assistance Centres) were established at key points on the Rath Yatra route to assist the large number of devotees attending the annual procession.

Police personnel also used loudspeaker announcements at each centre to spread awareness and guide members of the public.

The centres were set up at Jamalpur near the Jagannath Temple, Khamasa crossroads, Raipur Police Outpost, Panchkuva Gate, Kalupur Circle Traffic Outpost, Saraspur Visamo, Prem Darwaza Police Outpost, Tambu Police Outpost, Delhi Chakla, Shahpur Gate, Rangila Police Outpost, opposite R.C. High School, Ghee Kanta Police Outpost, Pankor Naka crossroads, Manek Chowk Police Outpost, Danapith crossroads and Khadia crossroads.

“The assistance centres played a key role in tracing children who had become separated from their families during the day-long procession,” officials said.

A total of 41 children from the Gaikwad Haveli Police Station area, 21 from the Shaherkotda Police Station area, and one child each from the Kalupur and Shahpur Police Station areas were identified, their parents or guardians were traced, and the children were safely handed back to them.

The police said all 64 children were reunited with their families after verification by officers stationed at the assistance centres.

The 149th Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out on Thursday from the nearly 400-year-old Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur area.

The annual procession, regarded as one of India’s largest Rath Yatras outside Puri, passed through the old city before returning to the temple after covering its traditional route.

Lakhs of devotees lined the route to offer prayers as the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra moved through the city.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the ‘Mangala Aarti’ before the procession began, while Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the traditional ‘Pahind Vidhi’, symbolically sweeping the path before the chariots.

–IANS

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