KOTTAYAM: Uncertainty loomed over the ‘Erumeli Petta Thullal’ for a while after the petta thullal team from Ambalappuzha clashed with the police on the eve of the customary ritual, over conduct of a chariot procession.
Though the Ambalappuzha team took a decision to boycott Wednesday’s Petta Thullal ritual, alleging that the police blocked their procession and insulted their team leader (samooha periyon) Kalathil Chandrasekharan, members of the team were pacified by Devaswom officials and senior police officials.
It is learnt that the Ambalappuzha team would be participating in the petta thullal on Wednesday.
It all started when a chariot procession taken out by the Ambalappuzha team entered Erumeli, and was accorded receptions in the town. The chariot procession, which used to be conducted up to Manimala town until last year, was extended to Erumeli this year.
When the procession reached near Valiyambalam, a police team led by Manimala CI E P Reji stopped it, triggering a verbal clash between leaders of the team and volunteers of the Ayyappa Seva Samajam. Later, the Ambalappuzha team staged a sit-in. According to team general secretary Arun Ashok, the police insulted the team and its leader.
“We organised the procession after informing all the departments concerned, including the police. However, the police disgraced our team leader,” he said.
Speaking to ‘Express,’ the CI said the authorities concerned, including the Devaswom Board, and the Ambalappuzha team were informed that conduct of the procession would not be allowed due to security reasons. “Though we stopped them, they were allowed to go back following intervention of senior officials. There was nothing wrong in the police action,” he added.
Though the petta thullal team asserted that they would participate in the ritual only if the police tendered an apology, senior officials including district police chief N Ramachandran turned down the demand.