Security drills underway in Puri and Jammu for upcoming Snana Yatra, Rath Yatra and Amarnath pilgrimage

State and central agencies in Puri conducted a comprehensive mock drill to test crowd‑management, emergency response, traffic regulation and inter‑departmental coordination ahead of the Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra festivals, which are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of devotees. The exercise involved the district administration, police, health, fire services, municipal authorities and other stakeholders, who reviewed standard operating procedures and simulated various scenarios to ensure a safe, orderly event.

In the Jammu and Kashmir district of Ramban, security forces including the Indian Army, Jammu‑Kashmir Police Special Operations Group, CRPF, CISF and the State Disaster Response Force carried out a similar joint drill at the Amarnath Yatra pilgrim accommodation. The drill focused on communication, coordination and readiness to address any potential threat along the pilgrimage route before the Amarnath Yatra begins on July 3.

Separately, police in Puri investigated a brief bomb scare after abandoned bags were found in a busy locality days before the Rath Yatra. Officers recovered documents, clothing and food items but found no explosive material, and the incident was treated as a security concern while assuring the public that robust measures are already in place for the upcoming festival.