Sabarimala row: Alert as situation finely poised

State police chief Loknath Behera told Express that all measures have been taken to prevent untoward incidents.

47-year-old Balamma hailing from Andhra Pradesh at the hospital at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.

SABARIMALA: Having foiled nearly a dozen women’s attempts to proceed to Sabarimala and have darshan over the past four days, more than 3,000 protesting devotees, including old women, are camping in and around Sannidhanam to see to it that no female in the 10-50 age group breaches their barrier on Monday, the final day of Thulam pooja. In view of the situation as well as the intelligence reports that there would be some last-ditch efforts by activists, with the support of Left-wing extremists and even some fringe Hindu outfits, to trek to the shrine, Sabarimala has been put under tight security cover.

Balamma, 41, from AP, who felt uneasiness after protesters blocked her near the shrine, is being shifted from the Sannidhanam hospital in an ambulance | A Sanesh

State police chief Loknath Behera told Express that all measures have been taken to prevent untoward incidents.“We’re on high alert. We’ll be evaluating the situation on a regular basis to ensure a peaceful atmosphere at Sabarimala,” he said. Hindu outfits on Sunday said they would ensure the temple be closed on Monday without allowing a single woman in the 10-50 age group.

“A large number of devotees are camping in Sabarimala to protect the centuries-old rituals and beliefs. A section of devotees will continue camping at Sannidhanam even after Monday to ensure the temple is protected from non-believers, who want to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere and destroy the temple’s sanctity,” said Hindu Aikya Vedi vice-president Haridas K.

A group of senior intelligence officers too are camping here to take stock of the situation and submit timely reports to the state government.Pathanamthitta District Collector P B Nooh, ADGP Anil Kant, and Inspectors General Manoj Abraham and S Sreejith are evaluating the ground-level reports after the state government’s stance that it does not want a breakdown of law and order on the last day.

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“Special police teams are camping in Pampa to dissuade women in the 10-50 age group from proceeding to Sabarimala by convincing them about the charged-up atmosphere and volatile law and order situation,” said a senior officer, who added that the police have been directed to strictly verify the background of the women who want to trek.