The Kerala Police and Central forces have strengthened security at Sabarimala from Thursday in the wake of the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh that falls on Saturday.
According to the Police Special Officer at the Sannidhanam, K.Vijayan, and Assistant Special Officer, T. Narayanan, the police will keep on tracking the pilgrim flow to the holy hillock and certain restrictions will come into force at the Sannidhanam after the closure of the temple on Thursday evening.
Armed security guards, including commandos of the Rapid Action Force attached to the Central Reserve Police Force, have been deployed at various key points in the close vicinity of the Ayyappa Temple, Malikappuram Bhagavathy Temple at the Sannidhanam and at the Pampa Ganapati Temple premises on the foothills from Thursday evening.
As many as 100 Armed Police, 30 Thunder Bolt members, and a 80-member Karnataka Police team will join the security system at Sabarimala soon.
People entering the temple precincts would be subjected to thorough security check with the help of metal and explosive detectors. Those entering the Sannidhanam and the temple premises will be diverted through door-framed metal detectors kept at all entry points. The bomb squad will conduct periodic inspections in and around Sannidhanam. The ghee brought by devotees for Neyyabhishekom and flowers for Pushpabhishekom ritual will also be subjected to thorough inspection by the bomb squad. The police have installed 360-degree close-circuit cameras at various strategic points for monitoring the movement of people.
