KOCHI: Alleging that the police deployed at Sabarimala are using excessive force and beating up pilgrims, Sabarimala Karma Samithi (SKS) on Friday urged the state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to look into the complaints.“The Sabarimala pilgrimage has been progressing peacefully this year, resulting in a steep increase in the arrival of pilgrims. However, we have received many complaints about police brutality during the past three days.
Most of the complaints are from other-state pilgrims. Our workers have met a pilgrim from Tamil Nadu with bruises on his hand. This will affect the pilgrimage adversely,” SKS general convenor S J R Kumar told reporters here. Refuting allegations, TDB president N Vasu said there was no truth in it. “A video footage of police beating up pilgrims is being circulated on social media.
Our inquiry found that it is an old video. If someone approaches us with proof we will take it up with the authorities concerned,” he said. Kumar said the restrictions imposed by the police and lack of facilities along the trek route are causing hardships to pilgrims.
“The KSRTC has reduced bus services on the Nilakkal-Pamba route, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded. In the wake of heavy rush at Pamba and Nilakkal and lack of adequate bus services, the KSRTC and police stopped several Pampa-bound buses at various locations between Pathanamthitta and Nilakkal for hours. Many pilgrims said they had to spend hours in the bus without food or water.
There are numerous complaints regarding the rude behaviour of policemen deployed at the 18 sacred steps also,” he said. A meeting of the SKS held at BTH in Kochi on Friday passed a resolution urging the government to withdraw the cases registered against devotees for participating in the Sabarimala protests last year.