JORHAT, Sept 27 - A cloudy day with sporadic showers lowered the spirits of puja revellers here on the Saptami today.
The puja fervour was at its best with about 80 puja pandals in and around the Jorhat town colourfully decked up and makeshift kiosks full of toys and food stuff dotting up beside the streets. Hindi Bollywood numbers in high decibels were adding up to the festive fervour.
However, weather seemed to have dampened the festive mood of the devotees as the Saptami rush unlike previous years was missing.
Early in the morning, the 222-year-old Buri Guxani Dewal temple in heart of the town witnessed a little pace of devotees coming to offer their obeisance to the goddess at the Ahom-era temple.
The police department to ensure a smooth and safe movement of puja hoppers have closed most of the roads in the town to vehicular traffic allowing only pedestrians during the puja days.
Apart from deployment of large number of police personnel including women staff, makeshift control rooms of police have been put up across the town to monitor the situation.
CCTV cameras have been installed in the pandals and at several spots identified as vulnerable by the police.
A senior police official said that policemen in civvies too were also moving across the town to prevent eve-teasing by rowdy elements.
On Monday, Special DGP (law and order) Kuladhar Saikia reviewed the security arrangements here with top district police officials.
Saikia also chaired a meeting with representatives of puja organising committees and directed them to comply with the guidelines issued by the police for maintaining law and order. Puja committees have been asked to engage volunteers adequately.
The Jorhat district administration under Section 144 of the CrPC has declared night curfew (8 pm to 5 am) within the radius of five km along the Assam-Nagaland border in the district.
The order by the district magistrate stated that the measure has been taken in view of information received by the government about apprehension of acts of violence that could be carried out by members of a militant outfit.
