KOCHI: The Thiruvambady Devaswom has informed the Kerala High Court that the devotees who came to participate, witness, and celebrate Thrissur Pooram were prevented, and the festival abruptly brought to a grinding halt by the police personnel deployed at the venue.
Last week, the Cochin Devaswom Board had told the HC that certain actions of the Thiruvambady Devaswom during the pooram had given rise to suspicion that those were aimed at aiding certain political parties in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
Girish Kumar, secretary of the Thiruvambady Devaswom, stated in the affidavit that the ‘ezhunnellippu’ procession was disrupted by the police. “The public and devotees who had come to participate in the festival were prevented from doing so, and the festival was abruptly brought to a halt.
Roads leading to the Swaraj Round were blocked, denying people the opportunity to view or participate in the ‘ezhunnellippu’. Additionally, the ‘Madathil Varavu’ procession was reduced to a simple ritual due to unnecessary police intervention,” he said.
The affidavit further alleged that the police used physical force against members of the public and pooram enthusiasts, leading to widespread discontent. The situation escalated to the verge of mob-like unrest, which was averted only by the timely intervention of Thiruvambady Devaswom authorities.
The affidavit also claimed that the police did not permit authorised personnel and workers of the devaswom, including licensed fireworks handlers, to access the ‘magazine’ for arranging fireworks. “No untoward incidents or crimes occurred during the pooram that necessitated such police action. The actions of the police were unnecessary, baseless, and without valid reasons,” stated the affidavit.
It added that the mahouts and their helpers were physically prevented from taking palm leaves to feed the elephants. This incident, the affidavit noted, was widely circulated on social media.
Though the HC had banned wearing footwear inside the temple, policemen were seen doing it. The devaswom was not aware of whether any duty briefing was conducted on the previous day by the police chief.
“But the action of the police, which was unnecessary and without any valid reasons, reveals that the policemen acted arbitrarily and in an immature manner which could be due to their inexperience and lack of knowledge about pooram and its rituals,” it stated.