Amidst tight security, 189 idols of Lord Vinayaka were taken out in a procession in the city on Friday.
The procession was organised by the Hindu Munnani. Its State leader Kadeswara Subramanian was present on the occasion.
Idols of different sizes and hues were taken out in cargo vehicles and carts with the organisers, mostly youth, dancing to the beats of drums. Brought from different parts of the city, the idols started to line up at Vilakkuthoon junction from 3 p.m.
The participants, in small and large groups, danced to the music of bands and ‘tharai thappatai’ and ‘chendaimelam’. The procession that started at around 5.30 p.m. passed through the Masi Streets.
A huge posse of police personnel, led by Commissioner of Police T. Senthil Kumar, was present in front of Jamait Ali Masjid on South Masi Street. The police had parked a few police buses, a fire tender and a riot control vehicle in front of the masjid as a precautionary measure. Similar arrangement was made in front of Chinna Pallivasal on West Masi Street.
As the procession touched the second masjid, it started to rain which could not dampen the spirits of the processionists. However, the procession was speeded up to reach Petchiamman Padithurai where the idols were immersed.
Traffic movement in the city went haywire after vehicles were blocked at Simmakkal without any proper diversion and information. Vehicle users were at their wits’ end to manoeuvre through the chock-a-block congestion on Raja Mill Road, in Arapalayam and Thanthaneri sub-way amidst rain.
Blocking the girder underpass even for slight shower added to the woes of the vehicle users.
