Uttarakhand DGP administers oath to personnel for conducting safe Kumbh

Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar on Sunday administered an oath to over 10,000 police personnel and paramilitary staff on the banks of the Ganga here to conduct a safe and grand Kumbh Mela while behaving decently with the devotees.

The paramilitary staff included those from CRPF and ITBP.

The Uttarakhand Police chief asked the personnel deployed on Kumbh duty to conduct the event successfully while ensuring strict compliance to the COVID-19 protocol.

Organising the congregation this year amid rising cases of coronavirus is a huge challenge for the security agencies.

The large gatherings of devotees for a holy dip in the Ganga here on the occasions of Makar Sankranti and Mahashivratri has been considered as a trial run for the three main bathing dates of April 12, 14 and 28

Normally held for four months from January to April, the duration of Kumbh this year has been shortened to just one month for the safety of pilgrims owing to the pandemic.

Earlier, the DGP performed a puja at the Har ki Pauri ghat in the presence of IG Sanjay Gunjyal and Mela SSP Janmejay Khanduri.

Finishing touches are being given to Kumbh preparations in Haridwar under close supervision of senior officials, including Chief Secretary Om Prakash, DGP Ashok Kumar, Mela officials Deepak Rawat and Mela IG Sanjay Gunjyal.