A meeting of police officials at Pampa on Friday has decided to ensure adequate protection to the pilgrims coming from outside Kerala and their vehicles, according to Mr K.Padmakumar, Inspector General of Police.
Mr Padmakumar who is also the Assistant Police Co-ordinator at Sabarimala said the all roads leading to Sabarimala would be divided into different sectors to conduct round-the-clock patrolling and police protection would be provided to vehicles coming from outside Kerala, if needed.
The Police have started constituting police station-based vigilance councils Jagratha Samitis, in association with various organisations, besides opening help desks in the service of pilgrims at various temples and places that have been identified as pilgrims’ camps, he said.
Mr Padmakumar said incidents of attack on vehicles carrying pilgrims from outside Kerala were isolated ones and all the culprits have been arrested in connection with whatever case reported in this respect.
The police chiefs in Kollam, Kottayam Ernakulam (Rural), Pathanamthitta and Idukki attended the meeting.
TDB plea
Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board has urged the IG to ensure adequate protection to the vehicles carrying materials for prasadom preparation at Sabarimala from Tamil Nadu.
The Sabarimala Devaswom Executive Officer, M.Sathishkumar, said miscreants have blocked two lorries carrying rice from Tamil Nadu for Aravana preparation at Sabarimala near Aryankavu check-post and smashed its glass panes.
The miscreants have attacked the vehicles even after they were informed that the vehicles carried rice for prasadom preparation at Sabarimala, Mr Sathishkumar said. He said drivers were reluctant to operate vehicles with out getting police protection, he added.
The TDB president has requested the Director General of Police to provide police protection to various Pampa-bound vehicles from Aryankavu upto Pampa as a majority of the vazhipadu items were reaching Sabarimala from Tamil Nadu via Aryankavu, Mr Satheeshkumar said.
Karpoora `deepakkazhcha’
The police personnel deployed at Sabarimala have offered a `karpoora deepakkazhcha’ at the Ayyappa Sannidhanam on Friday.
Mr Padmakumar said the Kerala Police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure a safe Sabarimala pilgrimage to each pilgrim.
