The police have strengthened security at Sabarimala in view of the rush of pilgrims anticipated during the Makaravilakku festival.
A special police control room headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police was opened near the police station at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
Police special officer S.Surendran said 3,000 police personnel, including armed commandos, had been deployed at Sabarimala.
Police aid-post
Mr. Surendran said a police aid post with 75 personnel had also been set up at the Sannidhanam to meet any emergency. This was besides a 31-member quick response team and 100 other police personnel under him.
The holy 18 steps and the temple premises had been brought under surveillance of a 45-member commando group.
A total of 50 police personnel had been deployed for controlling the Virtual Queue system.
A 69-member National Disaster Response Force team and a 140-member Rapid Action Force team attached to the Central Reserve Police Force had also been deployed at Sabarimala to meet any eventuality.
He said a 115-member bomb detection and disposal squad and special police teams from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu had also been deployed at Sabarimala.
Mr. Surendran said the holy hillock had been divided into 16 sectors under a Dy.SP for easy and effective monitoring of the security arrangements.
He said this was for the first time the Kerala police had deployed such a large number of personnel at Sabarimala for the Makaravilakku festival.
