Sudam babu state bureau odisha

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Bhubaneswar, October 7: Odisha Police have stepped up preparations across the state ahead of the bandh scheduled for October 8, with Director General of Police (DGP) Vinayatosh Mishra directing senior officers to maintain strict vigilance and ensure the safety of citizens.

The DGP chaired a high-level review meeting through video conferencing on Wednesday at the State Police Headquarters in Bhubaneswar. The meeting was convened to take stock of the law-and-order situation and assess the preparedness of police units in different districts ahead of the proposed shutdown.

The primary focus of the meeting was to ensure that the bandh remains peaceful and that normal public life is protected as far as possible. Senior police officials discussed security arrangements, traffic management, protection of public and government property, and preventive measures to deal with any situation that could threaten peace.

District Police Asked to Remain on High Alert

During the meeting, DGP Mishra instructed district Superintendents of Police to obtain regular ground-level information from every police station area under their jurisdiction. Officers were asked to closely monitor developments and immediately communicate any information that could have an impact on public order.

The DGP emphasised that police preparedness should begin well before any potential disturbance occurs. Officers were directed to identify locations that could become sensitive during demonstrations or other bandh-related activities and take appropriate preventive measures.

The instructions also included maintaining a continuous assessment of the situation at the local level. Police personnel have been asked to remain particularly watchful in areas where gatherings, demonstrations or road blockades could potentially affect public movement.

Security to Be Strengthened at Key Locations

Special attention was given to important public infrastructure and transportation points. The DGP directed police authorities to ensure adequate deployment of personnel along national and state highways, railway stations and other strategically important locations.

Enhanced patrolling and naka checking were also ordered across districts. These measures are intended to deter incidents of violence, unlawful assembly, vandalism and disruption of transportation.

Police units have been asked to maintain visible security in vulnerable areas while ensuring that commuters and other members of the public do not face unnecessary difficulties.

The instructions are particularly significant for major transportation corridors, where any blockade or disruption could affect the movement of passengers, emergency services and essential goods.

Intelligence Gathering to Play Key Role

The DGP also highlighted the importance of intelligence collection and timely communication among police officers.

Field-level officers have been instructed to strengthen their information-gathering mechanisms and share important inputs quickly with senior authorities. The objective is to identify possible trouble spots before a situation escalates.

Police officials have also been directed to maintain close coordination among different units so that any emerging law-and-order challenge can be addressed without delay.

The emphasis on intelligence gathering reflects the police department’s preventive approach to managing the bandh. Rather than waiting for incidents to occur, officers have been asked to assess potential risks and respond proactively.

Strict Action Against Violence and Forced Closures

Maintaining public order and protecting the rights of ordinary citizens were among the key concerns discussed during the meeting.

District police chiefs and other officers were directed to take effective measures to prevent violence, vandalism and damage to public or government property. They were also told to remain alert against attempts to forcibly shut shops, commercial establishments or other businesses.

Any effort to obstruct normal traffic movement was also identified as a potential law-and-order concern. Police were instructed to ensure that roads and important transportation routes remain accessible and that unlawful obstruction is dealt with according to law.

DGP Mishra made it clear that individuals attempting to take the law into their own hands would face immediate and stringent legal action.

The direction is aimed at ensuring that the right to protest does not result in violence, intimidation or disruption of essential public services.

Continuous Surveillance in Sensitive Areas

Local police officers have been instructed to maintain round-the-clock vigilance in sensitive areas during the bandh.

Authorities have also been encouraged to maintain communication with members of the public so that information about possible disturbances can be received quickly. Police-public coordination is expected to play an important role in maintaining calm and preventing rumours or unnecessary tension.

Officers across the state have been asked to work together rather than treating bandh-related security as an isolated district-level responsibility.

The DGP stressed the need for coordinated functioning among all ranks of the police force. The broader objective is to maintain peace, preserve law and order and provide a secure environment for people throughout Odisha.

Senior Police Officers Attend Meeting

Several senior officers participated in the high-level review meeting at the State Police Headquarters.

Among those present were Additional DGP (SAP) Rajesh Kumar, DIGP (Personnel) Jugal Kishore Kumar Banoth, DIGP (Crime Branch) Madkar Sandeep Sampad, SP (Crime Branch) Vivekananda Sharma, AIGP (Law and Order) Prabhashankar Nayak and Additional DGP (Railways and Coastal Security) Arun Bothra.

Senior officers from different parts of the state also joined the meeting through video conferencing. These included Range IGs and DIGs, district Superintendents of Police, the Deputy Commissioners of Police of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, and the Superintendents of Railway Police of Cuttack and Rourkela.

Their participation allowed the state police leadership to review security preparedness across different regions and reinforce a common strategy for managing the bandh.

Focus on Peaceful Conduct

The police preparations come at a time when bandh calls can have an immediate impact on transportation, commercial activity and daily life. Authorities are therefore seeking to balance public safety with the peaceful conduct of democratic activities.

The emphasis from the state police leadership is on preventing violence and ensuring that citizens are not subjected to threats, coercion or unnecessary disruption.

Police personnel have been directed to respond promptly to incidents while remaining within the framework of law. At the same time, continuous monitoring and preventive deployment are expected to help minimise the possibility of clashes or damage to property.

Odisha Police Prepared for October 8

With the bandh scheduled for October 8, police authorities across Odisha are now carrying out preparations at the district and field levels. Increased patrolling, naka checking, intelligence gathering and security deployment are expected to remain important components of the arrangements.

The DGP’s instructions indicate that public safety, protection of property and uninterrupted movement of people will remain central priorities for the police during the bandh.

Officials have been asked to stay alert throughout the period and maintain close coordination with their colleagues and the public. The state police leadership has also underlined that any attempt to create violence, damage property, forcibly close establishments or obstruct normal movement will be dealt with under the law.

The overall message from the review meeting is clear: Odisha Police intends to remain prepared at every level to meet any law-and-order challenge and ensure that the October 8 bandh passes peacefully, while safeguarding citizens and essential public infrastructure across the state.