Bhubaneswar: Senior IPS officer Saumendra Kumar Priyadarshi has been given the responsibility of police arrangement for the Ratha Jatra at Odisha’s Puri town.

The office of Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania today issued an order in this regard.

Priyadarshi, who is now working as the Additional Director General of Police (Modernization), will remain in overall charge of general police arrangement regarding Ratha Jatra and related rituals of Lord Jagannath and Puri, read the order.

Priyadarshi was given the charge of general police arrangement for Ratha Jatra in the wake of a tragic stampede near the Srigundicha temple at Puri in the early hours of today.

At least three persons were killed and several others were injured in the incident, that took place a day after the Ratha Jatra.

The stampede occurred when thousands of people congregated at Saradhabali near Srigundicha temple to have a glimpse of Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on their respective chariots.  

It is worth mentioning here that Priyadarshi had been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for the Ratha Jatra during the Nabakalebar Festival of Lord Jagannath in 2015.