Overview
- The return chariot procession started on Friday with Pahandi Bije and servitors carrying the deities to their chariots, with organizers saying some rituals began earlier than the official schedule.
- Police and temple officials deployed more than 13,000 security personnel, including Central Armed Police Forces, and installed over 400 AI-enabled CCTV cameras for real-time crowd monitoring.
- CCTV feeds are being routed into the Integrated Command and Control System so commanders can spot density hotspots and direct teams to intervene quickly.
- Access controls and logistics remain in force, with Gundicha Temple closed to the public from 6 pm for pre-ceremonial rites and detailed traffic, parking, shuttle and coastal patrol plans active to manage pilgrim flows.
- The stepped-up measures follow a July 16 crowd surge that killed two devotees and sickened others, for which the state offered ₹10 lakh to each bereaved family; officials warn high humidity and an expected surge for Suna Besha and Niladri Bije could increase crowd pressure.