Kerala   

Ayyappa devotees experience inconvenience

Led by piety: Pilgrims throng the Lord Ayyappa temple premises at Sabarimala on Sunday.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Sabarimala continued to witness heavy rush for the fourth day on Sunday. Devotees experienced much inconvenience, allegedly due to inept management of the crowd by the police at Marakkoottom and at the Pathinettampady. The pilgrims had to wait for six to seven hours on the trekking path for holy darshan.

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has opened 20 drinking water counters on the trekking path between Neelimala and the Sannidhanam and 540 workers have been recruited on daily wages for manning them round-the-clock.

Meanwhile, a police party led by Sub-Inspector S. Nandakumar conducted surprise inspections at various toilet complexes at the Sannidhanam and Paandithavalom following allegations of large-scale fleecing of pilgrims. Though the user fee fixed by the TDB for using toilet was Rs.2, it is alleged that the pilgrims had to pay Rs.10 to Rs.15.

Police Special Officer at the Sannidhanam A.K. Venugopal said that a special observation team comprising the police, National Disaster Response Force, Rapid Action Force and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) would be constituted at the Sannidhanam soon as part of strengthening security. The team would inspect baggage of pilgrims, if needed.

Meanwhile, workers at the medicated drinking water distribution counters at Marakkoottom threatened to strike work following an alleged assault of a few workers by police. The police seized the identification cards issued by the vigilance wing of the TDB to the workers as it did not carry the signature of the authority concerned. The matter was brought to the notice of Mr. Venugopal, who sorted out the issue amicably.

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