Police Asked to Treat Pilgrims with Respect, Not as Criminals
Sabarimala Special Police Officer P. Balakrishnan Nair has said that the attitude shown towards criminals should not be applied to pilgrims, and that courteous and respectful behaviour is what is expected from the police. He was addressing police personnel who had newly arrived for duty at Sannidhanam.
He pointed out that police duty at Sabarimala is completely different from routine policing. Officers must always behave gently and respectfully towards devotees. Both Lord Ayyappa and the police expect conduct guided by the principle of “Tat Tvam Asi”, which emphasises empathy and equality.
Sabarimala duty, he said, is a matter of pride for the Kerala Police, as pilgrims arrive from states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. This duty provides an opportunity to demonstrate why the Kerala Police are considered number one, which can be achieved through good behaviour and a positive approach.
At Sannidhanam, police personnel are deployed across ten sectors: Kodimaram, Sopanam, Malikappuram, below the 18 holy steps, Nadappanthal, U-Turn, Sharankuthi, Queue Complex, Marakkoottam, and Pandithavalam. Each sector is supervised by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP).
The fourth batch consists of 1,593 police personnel, whose service period will continue until the 28th of this month.
As part of enhanced safety measures during the pilgrimage season, a red alert warning light has been installed at the hazardous Kannimala turn on the Mundakayam–Erumeli route. The system is intended to alert motorists and help prevent accidents along this busy stretch leading to Sabarimala.