Sambalpur, Apr 9: In view of the upcoming general elections, there will be no "Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra" (Hanuman Jayanti procession or rally) in Sambalpur city of Odisha on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on April 23, 2024, informed District Collector Akshay Sunil Agrawal on Tuesday.

Briefing the media, the District Collector said the decision not to hold any procession or rally during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in the western Odisha city this year was taken after a meeting with the members of Hanuman Jayanti Samanwaya Samiti to conduct the upcoming general elections smoothly.

The district administration also appealed to the people to perform the puja in their respective Sahi or Pada in the city.

Elaborate security arrangements will be made in the city during the Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in order to ensure that there is no breakout of violence, the Collector said.

Last year, more than 15 people including police personnel were injured after stones were thrown at a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the district headquarters town.  

Two days later, a tribal youth, identified as Chitamani Mirdha of Sanasinghari village on the outskirts of Sambalpur, was stabbed to death in the city.

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