The recent bomb blast in the city just days before the celestial wedding sent shock waves among the police. However, with tightened security, throwing a virtual security blanket around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple, saw the celestial wedding, attended by thousands, pass off without any untoward incident. “Besides the security to the temple and devotees, our men ensured that there was no room for stampede considering the huge gathering inside and outside the temple during the tirukalyanam,” a police officer said.
However, even before the city police could heave a sigh of relief, they encountered a different problem. A slew of chain missing cases were reported on both days in which more than 20 women lost their valuable weighing over 80 sovereigns.
WThe police were perturbed what with a specific crime prevention plan put in place going in vain. “We had got over 15 teams of police personnel, drawn from the crime wing from several districts, only to keep a watch on the anti-social elements from across the State,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police, C. Rajendran said.
Stating that the plan had worked in and around the temple, Mr. Rajendran said that no crime was reported in the temple and around it on the wedding day. “The cases had been reported only in the outer peripheries, especially where the shop-keepers distributed freebies and prasadams,” he added.
Naming a specific silk saree shop where the tirumangalya ropes, turmeric and kumkum besides prasadams were distributed, he said criminals had a field day at this heavily crowded place. At least six cases were reported at this spot alone, he added.
Alerted by the number of chain snatching cases, the Madurai rural police were on an alert mode. “We have got special teams, at all important places through the procession route of Lord Kallazhagar,” said the Superintendent of Police, Asra Garg. Videographying was also being done, he added. With many more important events of Chithirai festival to follow, like the ‘ethir sevai' and Entry of Lord Kallazhagar into the Vaigai that would attract huge crowd, the comings days would be challenging for the police. The police were trying to put up additional vigil. Moondrumavadi, DRO Colony, A.R. Ground, Tallakulam, Goripalayam would be heavily crowded during the Ethir Sevai.
“We are restricting the number of stalls distributing freebies ,” Mr. Rajendran said. The policeman wanted the people to be aware of the lurking dangers. “They need not come out wearing too much of gold. Instead they can use imitation jewellery, or at least cover the jewels with sarees ,” the Commissioner of Police, Sanjay Mathur, said.
