NSG to conduct reconnaissance at Puri temple on March 18

A five-member team of the NSG comprising two officers and two personnel will conduct the mock drill along with the state police officers at the 12th-century shrine.

Bhubaneswar: The elite National Security Guard (NSG) will reconnaissance the world-famous Shree Jagannath temple in Puri on March 18, official sources said Wednesday.

The reconnaissance is part of NSGs security inspection at major pilgrimages and other sensitive places being done to pre-empt possible attacks.

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In a letter to the Odisha Chief Secretary, the NSG has urged the state police to brief it about the security measures around the temple.

The team has also requested the state police to provide necessary assistance including accommodation, transportation, and messing.

The state police have also been asked to give a liaison officer for better coordination with the reconnaissance commander, the letter said.

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Senior IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, IG (Operations) has been appointed as the nodal officer to assist and coordinate with the central security personnel.

It is the first such reconnaissance planned by the NSG at Puri after the demolition of structures within 75 meters radius from the temple boundary wall for heritage and security corridor projects.

The NSG has also informed Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Krishan Kumar and ASIs Superintendent Archaeologist Arun Kumar Mallick, about its plan for reconnaissance of the Puri temple.

PTI

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