Thousands of policemen have been deployed on security duty in the southern districts of Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar in connection with Muthuramalinga Thevar guru puja on Thursday.
The police have left no stone unturned to keep trouble-mongers away and to provide security to people from various districts travelling to Thevar memorial at Pasumpon in around 1,500 vehicles.
Besides, several VIPs including the Chief Minister, O. Pannerselvam, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer M.K. Stalin, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko, among others would pay their respects at the memorial on the occasion of 107th Thevar jayanthi.
Additional vigilance has been kept in caste sensitive areas on the routes leading to Pasumpon.
Besides, statues of all leaders have been protected.
The Chief Minister, who flew down here on Wednesday night, will reach Pasumpon by a special helicopter by 10 a.m.
Ramanathapuram district administration, for the second consecutive year, has promulgated prohibitory order under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure that bans all hired vehicles and cargo vehicles from being used to ferry people to Pasumpon.
On its part, the Madurai city police have promulgated prohibitory order under Section 41 of Tamil Nadu City Police Act, 1888 that bans processions, assemblies and public meetings without prior police permission.
Three incidents of brutal murders reported in 2012 – that of Sub-Inspector of Police Alwin Sudan in Sivaganga district during Marudhu Pandiyar brothers’ guru puja, murder of two youths in a village in Ramanathapuram and killing of seven persons in a petrol bomb attack in Madurai district – forced the police to clamp several restrictions on movement of people during the guru pujas of Immanuel Sekaran, Marudhu Pandiyar Brothers and Thevar since 2013.
