Tight security at Sabarimala: Section 144 imposed; over 15,000 cops deployed

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at Sabarimala even as the hill shrine is all set to open on Friday evening for the two-month long annual Mandala Makaravilakku festival. Pathanamthitta district authorities have issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 at Sannidhanam and three other base camps of the pilgrimage—Pamba, Nilakkal and Elavunkal.

The Lord Ayyappa temple will open at 5pm on Friday while the devotees will be allowed to trek the hill only in the afternoon.

The temple situated on the Western Ghats has been on the edge ever since a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court lifted the centuries-old ban on women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the shrine, on September 28. On Tuesday, the court refused to stay the order, but agreed to hear a batch of review petitions in open court on January 22.

Kerala Police have tightened security at the hill shrine and its premises in the wake of widespread protests against the Kerala government's decision to implement the verdict. Earlier, on two occasions, when the temple was opened for public after the SC verdict, at least a dozen women attempted to trek the hill, but were forced to return after intense protests from devotees.

Director General of Police Loknath Behra said on Thursday that the entire area has been divided into six regions and 15,259 police officials have been deployed for security. Behra chaired a high-level meet of police officers at Nilakkal.

Except the temple priests and security officials, nobody will be allowed to stay overnight at Sannidhanam, Behra told reporters. He said the police are fully geared to face any eventuality.

Fifty-five SPs, 113 DySPs, 359 circle-inspectors and 1,450 sub-inspectors will oversee the security situation in the region. Police said 60 women officers at the CI/SI level have also been deployed. 

A 20-member commando team and a 234-member bomb squad were on standby at Pamba and Sannidhanam. Two companies of the Rapid Action Force and two teams of the National Disaster Response Force have also been pressed into service.

Earlier, an all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan failed to reach a consensus with the CPI(M)-led government firm on implementing the Supreme Court order and the opposition walking out in protest.

 "The government has no other option as the Supreme Court has made it clear that the September 28 verdict has not been stayed, which means women in the 10-50 age group have the right to visit the Sabarimala temple," Vijayan told reporters.

The opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which have rallied behind the protesting devotees, accused the state government of being adamant. 

“The meeting was a farce, government was not ready for any compromise", said leader of the opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala. "This is a declaration of war on the believers by the government. The chief minister and the government would be responsible for any violence or untoward incident in Sabarimala," he added.

The CPI(M) is trying to convert Kerala into 'Stalin's Russia', said BJP state president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai. He said his party would oppose the government's decision in a democratic manner.

The erstwhile Pandalam Royal family, associated with the temple, told Vijayan that there was no change in its stand with regard to rituals and traditions of the shrine and it was against entry of young women. The views were conveyed during talks held separately by the chief minister with the family member Sasikumar Varma and Tantri (head priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru on the issue.

"We are against the entry of young women. There is no change in the stand", Verma told reporters adding Vijayan informed them about the limitations of the government vis-a-vis the court order. Kandararu Rajeevaru said "we can only appeal to young women not to come to Sabarimala".

(With PTI inputs)