KOCHI: Pointing out at the continuing police highhandedness at the hill shrine, petitioners in Sabarimala cases submitted before the High Court on Monday that even a judge was stopped by SP Yatish Chandra.
They claimed issuing prohibitory order in special security zone like Sabarimala was illegal. According to them, Ayyappa devotees can offer prayers at Sannidhanam at any number of time. Neither the state government, TDB nor police has any authority to prohibit devotees from being at Sannidhanam for more than 24 hours.
The prohibitory order issued by the Pathanamthitta district collector, in Sabarimala, Sannidhanam and Pampa is unconstitutional, they submitted.
The High Court is considering more than 20 petitions including the one filed by T R Ramesh of Chennai and the report by the Special Commissioner.
The devotees visit as groups under the guidance of ‘guruswamis’. This was not possible due to the prohibitory order. Hence, the petitioners sought a directive to ensure that the devotees are permitted to stay in Sabarimala and allow to perform all their rituals. According to the petitioners, the police have no right to prevent the chanting of ‘saranamanthra’ at Sannidhanam as it’s a part of rituals. They further sought to appoint a retired High Court judge to monitor the activities at Sabarimala.
IG Kashyap in-charge at Sannidhanam, Pampa
T’Puram: The second phase of police deployment in Sabarimala will begin from Friday. Headquarters IG Dinendra Kashyap will be the security in-charge of Pampa and Sannidhanam. Intelligence IG Ashok Yadav will be security in-charge of Nilakkal, Vadasserikkara and Erumeli. Thiruvananthapuram Range IG Manoj Abraham will continue as police joint chief co-ordinator. Wayanad SP Karuppasami and Vigilance SP K E Baiju have been appointed police controllers at Sannidhanam.
Kozhikode commissioner Kaliraj Maheshkumar and Thrissur SP M K Pushkaran have been appointed controllers in Pampa. Telecommunication SP Manjunath H, Special Cell SP V Ajith will be the controllers in Nilakkal. Kerala Police Academy assistant director K K Aji (Marakkuttam), KAP I Battallion Commandant P V Vilson ( Vadasserikkara) and NRI Cell SP V G Vinod Kumar (Erumeli) are the other controllers.
Janapaksham ties up with BJP to throw CPM from power in Poonjar
Kottayam: With the alliance between CPM and Janapaksham party led by P C George MLA strained over Sabarimala issue, Janapaksham has withdrawn support to CPM-led administrative councils in Poonjar and Poonjar Thekkekkara grama panchayats. Janapaksham has served notice for no-confidence motion with the support of BJP members.
Earlier, Janapaksham member Lisamma Sunny had resigned from the post of Poonjar grama panchayat vice president.