Too Much Crowd to Control at Sabarimala

Pathanamthitta
7 January 2014

Sabarimala Temple Located at Pathanamthitta saw a huge flow of devotees which is becoming difficult to control. Pilgrims faced hardships on the main trunk road leading to Sabaimala, Pampa, Sannidhanam, and on the traditional path over the past 36 hours.

Sabarimala had been witnessing unprecedented rush since Monday and the police had started periodically blocking the entry of pilgrims into the trekking path from Pampa as part of crowd control. This was besides the blocking of the Pampa-bound vehicular traffic at Plappally, Nilackal, and Elavumkal with a view to easing pressure on Pampa and the Sannidhanam. Pilgrims trapped in the traffic, in the forest stretches, were denied drinking water and food for hours.

Pilgrims were even reportedly subjected to physical harassment by the police personnel on duty at Pampa and Sannidhanam, leading to widespread protests from various organisations. The High Court on Tuesday sought a report from Special Commissioner K. Babu regarding the manhandling of a man by the police, in front of his child, near the Government Hospital, Sannidhanam.

The medicated drinking water supply system and biscuit distribution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) also went haywire.

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