KOCHI: On Tuesday when hundreds of protesters swelled Sannidhanam to block the entry of a woman, suspected to be below 50 years, the police were in a state of shock. After three days of massive security arrangements and tight screening of pilgrims, this sudden mobilisation of protesters, that too within minutes, at Sannidhanam caught the police unwares and revealed the fact that Sabarimala is not an easy spot to enforce policing because of its sensitive nature.
Police officers admitted they have certain limitations in using force at Sannidhanam or even on the trekking route to disperse the protesters who have generally come as devotees. “Using force to handle devotees is never an option and any wrong move could flare up the situation to a catastrophe. All the protesters reached the Sannidhanam as devotees. We can’t use force on them because that will worsen the situation,” a police officer said.State Police Chief Loknath Behera told ‘Express’ that the police did their best to enforce law and order at Sannidhanam.