Police in Coimbatore city and in communally sensitive pockets in the rural district have stepped up vigil as Chathurthi celebrations got underway on Wednesday.
In Coimbatore city and rural district, as many as 1,277 idols have been installed in public places and the immersion of the idols would begin from Thursday onwards.
Some of the major immersion processions would be on September 21 and 23. In Coimbatore city, there would be a total of nine processions for immersion. The city is likely to witness traffic diversion during the immersion procession for those two-days.
On instructions from City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan, Deputy Commissioners of Police Hema Karunagaran (Law and Order) and T. Senthil Kumar (Crime and Traffic) are supervising the security arrangements.
In almost all the places, in addition to the volunteers provided by the organisers of the Chathurthi celebrations, there are two armed guards round-the-clock.
Personnel have been drafted from Armed Reserve and Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion in addition to Home Guards and Traffic Wardens. Rapid Action Force Personnel are also likely to be on duty during the immersion procession, to ensure maintenance of law and order.
Police have taken appropriate steps in the wake of the desecration of a Vinayaka idol at NH Road Junction late on Sunday, leading to commotion in the area.
In this connection, four persons were arrested and remanded. On Tuesday night, another idol was damaged at Singanallur, and a flex banner relating to Chaturthi was damaged at Ram Nagar. A total of eight have been secured in this connection, police said.
A 11-ft tall Vinayakar idol was decorated with a garland of currency notes of the denomination of Rs. 500 totalling Rs 1.5 lakh.
In addition, mega size idols are installed at Ther Nilai Thidal and Theppakulam areas. City Police have activated all the 11 check posts with armed police personnel equipped with walkie-talkie sets for ensuring quick reaction in addition to stepped up night patrolling and deployment of armed pickets.
In Coimbatore Rural, Superintendent of Police, E.S. Uma is supervising the security arrangements.
R.Vimal Kumar adds from Tirupur:
Vinayaka Chathruthi was celebrated with religious fervour across Tirupur district on Wednesday.
Various outfits erected a total of 1,010 Ganesha idols at public places across the district amid tight police security.
As part of surveillance, police had introduced mobile patrols in areas where the idols were set up and this would continue till the idols were taken for immersion later this week.
