Kendrapara Lakshmi Puja Immersion Ends Peacefully; IGP Thanks Public

Kendrapara: The historic Lakshmi Puja celebrations and immersion procession in Kendrapara concluded peacefully, thanks to the cooperation of local residents, puja organisers and coordinated efforts by the district administration and police.

IGP Central Range Dr Satyajit Nayak, IPS, expressed his gratitude to the people of Kendrapara, police personnel, administrative officials, puja committees, volunteers and various organisations for their collective contribution to the successful conduct of the festival.

This year’s celebrations were particularly special as Kendrapara marked 100 years of its Maa Gajalaxmi Puja tradition. With 68 beautifully decorated puja medhas in the town and celebrations across neighbouring areas, thousands of devotees participated in the festivities.

To ensure security during the massive gatherings and immersion procession, over 30 platoons of police personnel were deployed. CCTV monitoring, mobile patrolling, traffic regulation and special security measures were also implemented.

IGP Dr Nayak and Kendrapara SP Siddharth Kataria personally supervised the arrangements and remained actively involved in ground-level monitoring. In a gesture that won appreciation, both officers walked barefoot alongside devotees and joined them in carrying Maa Gajalaxmi’s medha on their shoulders during the immersion procession.

Appreciating the discipline and patience shown by the public, Dr Nayak said that the peaceful completion of such a large religious event was possible only through mutual trust and cooperation between citizens, police and the administration.

He also acknowledged the dedication of police personnel, magistrates and officials from different departments who worked tirelessly throughout the celebrations.

The IGP emphasised that public participation is essential for effective policing and urged people to uphold the values of brotherhood, harmony and social responsibility during religious festivals.

The peaceful conclusion of Kendrapara’s centenary Lakshmi Puja celebrations has emerged as an example of how strong public cooperation, administrative coordination and community-oriented policing can ensure the successful management of major public events.