A new batch of 3,679 police personnel assumed charge at Sabarimala Sannidhanam and Pampa on Saturday afternoon.
Of this, 1,468 cops have been deployed at the Sannidhanam and 2,211 at Pampa. According to official sources, another batch of 450 cops would be deployed at Sabarimala from January 12 in view of the heavy rush at the pilgrim centre for the Makaravilakku festival on January 14.
A. K. Venugopal is the new police special officer at the Sannidhanam and S. Surendran has assumed charge as the police special officer at Pampa on Saturday.
This is besides two companies of Rapid Action Force and National Disaster Response Force attached to CRPF deployed at the pilgrim centre from the beginning of the pilgrim season.
Four cops sent back
Meanwhile, four policemen, including an Additional Sub-Inspector, who have reached Sannidhanm on Saturday morning in an intoxicated condition have been sent back to their parent offices in Thiruvananthapuram district on Saturday.
According to police sources, Sasi, ASI attached to to the Armed Reserve Camp at Thiruvananthapuram, George attached to Poonthura police station, Jose and Baburaj, both from Thumba police station, were the four personnel who have been sent back from Sabarimala.
Disciplinary action would be initiated against all four, official sources said.
Review meeting
Addressing a meeting of the heads of various Government departments as well as the Travancore Devaswom Board at the Sannidhanam on Friday night, the Additional Chief Secretary, K. Jayakumar who is also the chief co-ordinator at Sabarimala, said the NDRF and RAF personnel would also assist the police in crowd management during the rush days of the pilgrim season.
He said the police, forest guards and the Central Forces would take steps to check intrusion of pilgrims coming through the unauthorised forest paths to the barricade.
Mr. Jayakumar said Kerala State Electricity Board, Forest Department and Fire and Rescue Force should take adequate precautionary measures to avert any mishap when scores of pilgrims congregate at Pampa Hilltop, Sannidhanam, Appachimedu, Pulmedu and at various vantage points in the forest area to witness the Makarajyoti on the Makaravilakku day.
