Gujarat rath yatra stalled

The rath yatra, which began from Bhagawaneshwar temple in the city this morning, has been stalled for over an hour after organisers of the yatra, protested against the administration's move to ban "lathis" (baton) from the yatra.

Police officials overseeing security arrangements along the yatra prevented gymnasts and wrestlers from local "akhadas" (clubs) from wielding batons during the yatra.

Citing security reasons, they took away the batons used by the gymnasts performing enroute. The organisers of the yatra objected to this move and halted the yatra near a women's college, just 500 metre away from the temple.

The organisers said that the yatra will proceed only after the administration gave permission to carry the batons.