Security tightened along Odisha coastline, vital installations

Bhubaneswar: A day after Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi revealed that there is a threat from the sea amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan, the police on Saturday said it has ensured unprecedented security cover along the coastline and around vital installations in the state.

The state police have made special security arrangements for safeguarding various installations like the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in Balaosre district, Shree Jagannath temple in Puri, Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur, Paradip Port in Jagatsinghpur, Ordinance Factory in Bolangir district and other public places.

Taking to X, the Odisha Police said, “The Indian Army is conducting Operation Sindoor and has issued a high alert. In this context, the state police is patrolling day and night to ensure the security of the coast of Odisha." Trawlers and all suspects are being thoroughly checked, they said.

"We are always ready to prevent any terrorist attack. We are always vigilant to provide safety to the public. Their safety is our priority," the Odisha Police said on social media.

The state police are patrolling day and night to ensure the safety of the people of Odisha.

"Security arrangements have been tightened at railway stations to counter possible terrorist attacks. Armed forces have been deployed at all entrances and exits of stations. All train coaches and platforms are being checked using metal detectors. If you see a suspicious person inside a moving train or at a station, immediately inform the police," the state police appealed to the people.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had on Friday said that Odisha sees a possible danger in the sea as it has a long coastline of 480 kilometres, and houses major installations like the missile testing centre at Chandipur and Shree Jagannath Dham in Puri.

“Though there is no specific threat to Shree Jaganath Temple in Puri, the extra precautions have been taken since terrorists had opened fire on tourists at Pahalgam in J&K after inquiring about their religion,” a senior official said.

Armed police personnel have taken positions around Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri as lakhs of pilgrims from across the country visit the shrine every year, he said.

“The police conduct proper checking and frisking of devotees, and they are requested to cooperate. Anti-sabotage squad personnel are conducting regular checks around the temple. The entire temple area and the pilgrim town are under CCTV surveillance,” Puri SP Vinit Agrawal said.

A team of the National Security Guard (NSG) visited Puri on May 5 and 6 and supervised the security arrangements at the 12th-century shrine. They reviewed the existing security arrangements at the entry and exit points, crowd management protocols, emergency response mechanisms and others, the official said.

Puri district police sources said that hotel owners are also instructed to keep proper records of their guests and regularly update police if they find anything suspicious.

Regular checking of vehicles is underway at various locations across Puri, the police said, adding that marine fishing communities have been asked to keep an eye on vessels.

A high-level emergency meeting was held on the security of the ITR, Chandipur, on Friday afternoon.

The ITR premises also house the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE), a premier DRDO laboratory.

Senior police officers, DRDO officials, coast guard and marine police personnel have chalked out a plan for ensuring proper security at ITR and Wheeler Island, where major missiles are test-fired, the sources said.

The security arrangements have also been strengthened at the Army Air Defence College near Gopalpur, the ordnance factory in Bolangir, INS Chilka and the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IERL) near Chhatrapur, they said.

The Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur district, which is the longest earthen dam in Asia, has also been placed under heightened surveillance.

The authorities of the Paradip Port in Jagatsinghpur district are also on high alert, another official said.

Security has also been tightened at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar and VSS Airport at Jharsuguda, two major airports in the state, another official said.

Passengers are undergoing multi-layered security checks before boarding flights, and they have been advised to arrive early to facilitate smooth procedures, he added.