No untoward incident was reported in Uttar Pradesh during the New Year celebrations and people enjoyed the occasion peacefully with family and friends at parks, malls and clubs. Besides, traffic movement also remained normal despite devotees turning up in large numbers in Varanasi, Mathura and Ayodhya.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a meeting of Team 9 held at Lok Bhavan on Monday, congratulated the district administrations and the state police for maintaining peace and order in the state on Christmas and New Year and ensuring that no untoward incident took place during the celebrations.
The chief minister said that due to the promptness of the police and the administration, there was an atmosphere of peace and harmony in all the districts amid the festivities of Christmas and New Year in the state.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in the high-level meeting earlier, had directed the UP Police and administrative officials to beef up security on Christmas and New Year so that the people of the state could celebrate the festivals peacefully, following which the entire police and administration teams swung into action.
The foolproof arrangements made by the UP Police ensured that there was no breach of security and people enjoyed Christmas and New Year peacefully with friends and family.
For the first time, on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi, the services of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) jawans were also taken to maintain peace in the state. At the same time intelligence also remained on alert mode. In view of the New Year, the UP Police carried out identification of hooligans and anarchists who could cause trouble to ensure peace during the festivities in the state.
According to statistics, more than 40 lakh devotees offered prayers in Ayodhya, Mathura, and Varanasi on New Year and wished for public welfare.
On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, from the eve of the New Year to the first day of the year, the UP Police deployed its teams at several strategic points to maintain peace in the state. In several phases, police officers were deployed in sensitive areas, metropolitan cities, and religious places.
Along with this, all the hospital and municipal corporation employees of the state remained on alert mode. Police were also deployed at every intersection to deal with hoodlums. ADG (PAC) Dr KS Pratap said that 120 PAC companies were already deployed to maintain peace in the state and 15 additional PAC companies were deployed in view of New Year celebrations especially, in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Ghaziabad, Agra, Mathura, Ayodhya, and Varanasi.
More than 39,000 devotees visited Ram Lalla between 7 am to 11:30 am and over 68,000 from 2 pm to 7 pm on New Year. At the same time, a total of 10 lakh people offered prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi and Hanuman Garhi whereas more than 25 lakh devotees visited temples at Mathura, Vrindavan, Radha Kund, Govardhan, and Barsana.
Besides, more than five lakh devotees visited Shri Banke Bihari temple. Lakhs of devotees also circumambulated Giriraj in Govardhan.
A huge crowd of devotees also thronged Kashi Vishwanath temple on the first day of the new year. The movement of devotees started in the early morning to have a glimpse of Baba Vishwanath. After Mangala Aarti, as soon as Baba's door opened for common visitors, the entire temple complex echoed with the chants of Har Har Mahadev and Om Namah Shivay. Devotees performed jalabhishek of Baba Vishwanath on the first day of the year and wished for a happy life throughout the year.
Chief Executive Officer of Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple, Sunil Kumar Verma, said that after Mangala Aarti, more than 5.5 lakh visitors offered prayers at the temple. In state capital Lucknow too, after attending temples, more than 16 lakh people had fun with their families at Janeshwar Mishra Park, River Front, Lohia Park, zoo, Ambedkar Park, and Eco Park.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the feelings and needs of kalpavasis and saints should be respected in the Prayagraj Magh Mela and all work should be done with inter-departmental coordination. He said kalpavasis, devotees, sages and saints should be provided all facilities that were available in the past and the security should be tested by the DGP himself by conducting an on-site inspection.