NILAKKAL, SABARIMALA: Amid tight security, the two-month-long annual Mandala-Makkaravilakku pilgrimage began on a pious note on Saturday.There were concerns of protests following rumours that a few women in the age group of 10-50 will be attempting to visit Sabarimala on day one. But the day went smoothly with pilgrims, especially from the southern states arriving in large numbers to offer prayers when the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa opened at 5pm.
Meanwhile, tense situation prevailed at Pampa after a few devotees noticed some young women in a group of devotees from Andhra Pradesh preparing to trek to Sabarimala. Police officers immediately intervened and shifted 10 women to a safe location. They were later sent back. Sensing protests from other devotees, the police checked the age proof of the women devotees and briefed them about the volatile law and order situation prevailing at Sabarimala.“They immediately decided to stay back while the male devotees in the group proceeded to offer prayers,” said a senior police officer at Pampa.
Every year, a few young women from Andhra Pradesh reach Pampa to trek Sabarimala without knowing the age-old custom followed at the temple. “It’s the usual practice of pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh to take their women family members along with them to temples in Kerala for darshan. After visiting other temples, they reach Sabarimala,” the officer said. Police said they could not risk allowing the women to proceed to Sabarimala because intelligence inputs had revealed that members of a few outfits were camping in Sabarimala to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere if any young woman is found trekking the path to the temple.
Vehicle checks
Police personnel, including women officers, have been deployed at Nilakkal to conduct screening of the vehicles proceeding to Pampa to check whether they include any women in the restricted age group. No private vehicles were allowed to Pampa. Only the buses of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plied between Pampa and Nilakkal carrying pilgrims. ADGP (Law and Order) Sheikh Darwesh Sahib on Saturday reviewed the security arrangements to ensure that there is no break down in law and order situation that will prompt pilgrims from other states to stay away from Sabarimala.“We are verifying the age proof of a few women devotees. Women police officers are also deployed for this,” an officer said.
Police on high alert
T’Puram: The state police have been put on high alert with the two-month-long Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku festival beginning on Sunday. Police will also monitor separately whether 36 women of restricted age, who booked through virtual queue system, enter the hill shrine. Police will wait and watch whether women of menstrual age trek beyond Pampa, said State Police Chief Loknath Behera. “Police will ensure peace and maintain order. Unlike last year, we will scale down the number of personnel deployed even though there are restrictions. We will also seek legal advice from advocate general for initiating security arrangements,” Behera told reporters here on Saturday.
‘Cracks’ in Renaissance Protection Committee
T’Puram: Fissures have developed in the Navodhana Samrakshana Samithi (Renaissance Protection Committee), with a prominent leader of the panel flaying the government’s climbdown in the Sabarimala women entry issue.KPMS general secretary Punnala Sreekumar, who is the general secrertary of the forum, took strong exception to Minister Kadakampally Surendran’s statement that women of menstrual age who want to enter Sabarimala need to carry a court order along with them. He said the minister’s statement amounted to violation of Constitutional principles pertaining to equality. However, the minister played down the controversy saying not only the Samithi, but other groups were also free to express dissent.