THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has decided to provide a strong security cover in Sabarimala during the coming Mandala season and has appointed Crime Branch ADGP S Sreejith as chief police coordinator to monitor the overall security in the hillside shrine.
South Zone IG Harshita Attaluri has been appointed as joint police coordinator.
The police in the past two seasons had provided strong security in Sabarimala owing to the protests related to entry of women above the age of 10 and below 50.
Armed Battalion DIG P Prakash and Thiruvananthapuram Range DIG Sanjay Kumar Gurudin have been appointed as additional police coordinators.
The security planning for Sannidhanam, Nilakkal and Pamba has been done by dividing the pilgrim season into five phases.
In the first phase from November 15 to 30, Kollam Crime Branch SP Premkumar will be the police controller in Sannidhanam. Malappuram Crime Branch SP Santosh KV and Palakkad Crime Branch SP K Salim will be the controllers in Pamba and Nilakkal, respectively.
During the second phase from November 30 to December 14, Kannur Crime Branch SP Prajeesh Thottathil will be the police controller in Sannidhanam. Headquarters Additional AIG Anand R and Crime Branch Headquarter SP K V Mahesh Das will be the controllers in Pamba and Nilakkal, respectively.
In the third phase from December 14 to 26, Alappuzha Crime Branch SP Prasanthan Kani will be the police controller in Sannidhanam. Nedumangad ASP Raj Prasad and Ernakulam Crime Branch SP M J Sojan will be the controllers in Pamba and Nilakkal in that order.
In the fourth phase from December 29 to January 9, Special Cell SP B Krishnakumar will be the controller in Sannidhanam, while Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP Bijumon ES and Telecommunication SP Amos Mammen will be in charge of Pamba and Nilakkal, respectively.
In the final phase from January 9 to 20, SAP Commandant B Ajith Kumar will be the police controller in Sannidhanam. Idukki Crime Branch SP Kuriakkose V U and Police Training College Principal Johnkutty K L will be the controllers in Pamba and Nilakkal, respectively.
Pathanamthitta SP R Nishanthini has been appointed as Sabarimala Special Liaison Officer, while ITC SP Divya Gopinath has been given charge of the Virtual Q.