VIDEO | Ahmedabad Police step up Rath Yatra security:190 wanted criminals arrested in 24 hours, Operation Clean Sweep 2.0 spans 5 states

Ahead of the 149th Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, Ahmedabad City Police has stepped up security to ensure the festival passes off peacefully. More than 500 police personnel, including senior officers, took part in a flag march on Sunday night along the yatra route to strengthen law and order. At the same time, Zone 7 Police carried out ‘Operation Clean Sweep 2.0’ and arrested 190 wanted and notorious accused from five states, including Gujarat, within 24 hours as part of the security preparations. More than 500 police personnel joined Even in the evening, the route was inspected from Jamalpur under the leadership of the new Police Commissioner Anupamsinh Gahlot. Following this, from 11 PM, a flag march was organised on the entire route under the leadership of Sector 1 JCP Neeraj Badgujar and DCP Rupal Solanki, in which more than 500 police personnel joined, including PIs (Police Inspectors) from Gaekwad Haveli, Khadia, Kalupur, Shaharkotda, Shahpur, Dariyapur police stations. It is noteworthy that during the police flag march on the Rath Yatra route, special checks were conducted by the police in sensitive areas. A total of 190 accused were caught in 24 hours
Only a few days are left for the 149th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannathji in Ahmedabad. All types of preparations by the Ahmedabad City Police have reached the final stage to ensure that the Rath Yatra, to be held amidst the presence of millions of devotees, concludes peacefully and without any obstacles. Along with flag marches, route domination, CCTV surveillance, and drone patrolling on the Rath Yatra route, aggressive action has now been initiated against criminals. As part of this, ‘Operation Clean Sweep 2.0’ was undertaken by Zone-7. In this special operation, which lasted only 24 hours, a total of 190 accused, including wanted, absconding, and those involved in serious crimes who had been evading the police for years, were apprehended. This massive action taken in a single day has spread panic among criminals. Special campaign to find accused active in crime again after release from jail Maintaining law and order in the city before Rathyatra is the biggest challenge for the police. Considering the experience of previous years, this time the police did not limit themselves to just patrolling, but launched a special campaign to find those accused who were absconding for years or were reported to be active in crime again after being released from jail. All police stations in Zone-7 were instructed in advance to prepare a list of wanted accused and to collect information about their current addresses, mobile numbers, family members, and possible hideouts. Subsequently, different teams were formed and action was initiated simultaneously. Accused absconding for 22-23 years arrested The biggest success during this operation was the arrest of an accused who had been absconding for the last 23 years in a fake currency note case. The accused, who had been living in Rajasthan by changing his identity for years, was apprehended with the help of technical surveillance and local police. Not only this, an accused wanted for the last 22 years in a car theft case also fell into the hands of the police. Both accused had been a challenge for the police for years. The police hope that their arrest after a long time will give new momentum to the investigation of old crimes. Police teams raided Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand This operation was not limited to Ahmedabad only. To reach the hideouts of the accused, police teams raided Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. In Gujarat too, different teams took action in cities including Gandhinagar, Mehsana, and Rajkot. With the help of local police, technical input, and informants, accused who had been absconding for years were tracked down. Some accused were living by changing their occupation and identity, yet the police reached them.