Thoothukudi, Oct 11 — The Dasara festival at the Mutharamman Temple in Kulasekarapattinam began with the ceremonial flag hoisting on Sunday, amid extensive police arrangements to protect devotees and maintain order in and around the temple.
The festival’s principal ritual, 'Soorasamharam', will take place on the night of October 20.
Police have taken security measures for the opening ceremony, with personnel deployed at the temple and surrounding areas to oversee public safety. A total of 1,000 police personnel drawn from Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts have been assigned to security duties in connection with Sunday’s flag hoisting.
The security detail was being supervised by Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police Sivaprasad. The supervisory team also includes two Additional Superintendents of Police, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, five Deputy Superintendents of Police, 32 inspectors and sub-inspectors. Alongside the uniformed personnel, 50 police officers in plain clothes will mingle with devotees and members of the public for surveillance. Their presence forms part of the arrangements intended to strengthen monitoring during the festival.
Approximately 80 CCTV cameras have been installed at important locations within the temple and in nearby areas. The cameras will support surveillance as police monitor activity at the places covered by the security arrangements.
The district police department said all necessary measures had been taken to ensure the safety of devotees and other visitors, while maintaining law and order. Security duties include monitoring the temple surroundings and keeping watch for unlawful activities. Police said people engaging in illegal activities would be kept under continuous observation and face strict action under the law.
The department’s warning accompanied its announcement of the personnel deployment and surveillance measures for the opening ceremony. The arrangements bring together officers from six southern districts, with senior police personnel overseeing the deployment. Uniformed policing, plainclothes surveillance and CCTV monitoring constitute the main elements of the security measures announced by the district department.
The opening day deployment covers both visible policing and observation among the public gathered for the religious celebrations.
With the flag hoisting marking the beginning of the celebrations, attention will now turn to the festival’s subsequent ceremonies and the Soorasamharam ritual on October 20. The police department reiterated that protecting visitors and preserving public order were the priorities of its security arrangements.