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Elaborate security for Makaravilakku

PATHANAMTHITTA: Elaborate arrangements have been made for crowd management at Sabarimala during the Makaravilakku festival, Inspector-General of Police (south zone) Arunkumar Sinha has said.

Talking to reporters at Sabarimala on Friday, the IG said a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, two Superintendents of Police, two Assistant SPs, 33 Deputy SPs, 79 Circle Inspectors and 356 sub-inspectors would supervise the police force, which has been bolstered to 2,787 personnel, at Sabarimala during the last lap of the Makaravilakku festival.

Mr. Sinha said 1,618 constables would be deployed at the Sannidhanam alone, besides police teams from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Assistant Police Controller T.K. Haridas will be the media liaison officer at Sabarimala.

The IG said that a police out-post had been opened at Pandithavalom on Friday to regulate the inflow of pilgrims from Kumily via Uppupara and Pulmedu. The Pandithavalom-Sannidhanam path has been divided into nine segments to ensure effective crowd management during rush hours.

Pilgrims will be subjected to thorough inspection. Metal and explosive detectors will be used at nine points on the Pampa-Sannidhanam path.

He said that pack-donkeys would not be permitted on the trekking path from Saturday afternoon till January 15. Similarly ‘dolly’ service would not be permitted on the trekking path from January 14 noon, he added.

All the main buildings at Sannidhanam, water tanks and KSEB transformers will be brought under security cover from Saturday, he said. A public announcement system will also be set up at Pandithavalom and Marakkoottom from Saturday.

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