Click to play videoThiruvananthapuram: Lakhs of devotees will be climbing the hills toward Sabarimala in a few days from now as the pilgrimage season starts. This time, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) - which manages the shrine - is taking no chances with security. It has spent nearly Rs 5 crore to upgrade security arrangements.
President TDB C K Guptan Nair says, "Certainly it's a nightmare. So far as the TDB is concerned, nobody really knows what will happen there. I think it's somebody's grace that so far nothing has gone wrong here."
An elite commando wing will guard the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayappa temple. About 4,000 personnel will be posted along the route from the base camp at Pampa to the temple.
IG Police Thiruvananthapuram Range, Arun Kumar Sinha says, "We conducted a secuirty audit of Sabarimala two years back and the audit listed a large number of security measures to be taken. But considering the terrain of the area, we have certain disadvantages."
For pilgrims in Sabarimala, the climb to the top this year will take more time because of all the new metal detectors and scanners.
For the last three decades Kerala Police has been rendering remarkable service for the pilgrims at Sabarimala. But with the enhanced threat perception this time round, it will be an acid test for the Kerala Police.
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