Ranchi and Khunti police will deploy drones, watchtowers, CCTV cameras and quick reaction teams to manage crowds and monitor sensitive locations during Durga Puja, with authorities also directing organisers to strengthen surveillance and safety arrangements at major pandals.
Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan reviewed the festival preparations on Monday and instructed police station in-charges to visit puja pandals and check compliance with safety guidelines issued by the district administration. Police personnel will be deployed at major pandals and along key city roads, while watchtowers will be installed at heavily crowded roads and major intersections to give officers a wider view of crowd movement.
Ranjan said puja committees had been instructed to install an adequate number of CCTV cameras with sufficient storage capacity. The systems will be monitored round the clock to identify suspicious activity, according to the SSP. The police will also use drones for crowd management, although Ranjan said their effectiveness would be limited to daytime operations.
The arrangements are intended to help police monitor dense gatherings, identify criminal activity and respond to emergencies during the festival. The deployment of watchtowers at intersections will provide an additional vantage point in areas where large crowds and traffic movement may converge.
Ranchi police have also served notices to more than 1,000 people under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to ensure good behaviour during the festive period, according to sources cited in the report. The measure forms part of the wider preventive policing arrangements being made ahead of the celebrations.
A Shakti Commando unit will be deployed to improve women’s safety and prevent crimes targeting women at crowded locations. The police have not specified the number of personnel involved in the deployment, but officials said adequate forces and quick reaction teams would be positioned at major pandals and other important points.
In Khunti, SP Rishabh Garg directed police officers to remain in regular contact with puja committees, community leaders and volunteers. WhatsApp groups will be used to coordinate with these stakeholders and support efforts to maintain peace and communal harmony during the festival.
Garg also instructed officers to closely monitor sensitive locations through CCTV surveillance and drones. Police officers have been asked to coordinate with organisers and volunteers so that information about crowd conditions, local concerns and potential disturbances can be shared quickly.
The authorities’ instructions place responsibility on puja committees to provide functioning cameras with sufficient storage, while the police will oversee surveillance, personnel deployment and emergency response at key locations. The arrangements will remain focused on crowd monitoring and public safety during the Durga Puja period.
