Odisha Elections: No Hanuman Jayanti Procession In Sambalpur This Year

Sambalpur: In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, there will be no procession or rally in Sambalpur city on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti this year.

Giving this information Sambalpur district collector Akshay Sunil Agrawal told reporters on Tuesday that the decision not to hold any procession during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in the western Odisha city on April 23 this year was taken after a meeting with the members of Hanuman Jayanti Samanwaya Samiti.

The move is aimed at ensuring smooth and peaceful conduct of the upcoming twin elections for which the administration is busy making preparations.The district administration also appealed to the people to perform the puja in their respective localities in the city.

Elaborate security arrangements are being made in and around the city for the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in order to ensure that there is no breakout of violence, the collector said.

It may be recalled that around 15 people, including police personnel, were injured after stones were thrown at the participants of a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the district headquarters town of Sambalpur last year. A tribal youth was allegedly stabbed to death in the city two days later.