No untoward incident was reported in Uttar Pradesh during the New Year celebrations and people enjoyed the occasion with family and friends at parks, malls and clubs peacefully.

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 with Team 9 here 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 CM gave the credit for the peace and harmony in all the districts amid the festivities of Christmas and New Year in the state to the alert police and administration.

Earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a high-level meeting, had directed the UP Police and administrative officials to beef up state’s security arrangements 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 CM Yogi, the services of Pradeshik 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.

UP Police had 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 the 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 are prominent.

More than 39,000 devotees visited Ramlala temple in Ayodhya 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 Hanumangarhi whereas more than 25 lakh devotees visited temples at Mathura, Vrindavan, Radha Kund, Govardhan and Barsana. Besides, more than 5 lakh devotees visited Shri Banke Bihari temple. Lakhs of devotees also circumambulated Giriraj in Govardhan.

A huge crowd of devotees also thronged  Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the first day of the new year. The movement of devotees started from 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 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 Mangla Aarti, more than 5.5 lakh visitors offered their prayers at the temple. In the 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, CM Yogi has said that the feelings and needs of Kalpavasis and saints should be respected in the Prayagraj Magh Mela. Work should be done with inter-departmental coordination. Kalpavasis, devotees, sages and saints should be provided all the facilities that were available in the past. Security system should be tested by the Director General of Police himself by conducting on-site inspection, he added during the Team 9 meeting.