Restrictions during Thrissur Pooram spark protests with LS polls around corner

THRISSUR: As the Lok Sabha elections are around the corner, the people's representatives are also very unhappy with the unnecessary restrictions imposed by the police on the Thrissur Pooram. Minister K Rajan had strongly reacted against the tightening of the restrictions of the forest department before Pooram.

Even when Thiruvambadi Bhagavathi got was brought for procession on Pooram day, the police intervention caused tension. The issues started when even the Devaswom officials were not allowed to stand with the elephants.

Roads were blocked and people faced inconvenience. Due to lack of timely control, there was a situation where the vehicles reached near Pooram procession. Even when the 'Madathil Varavu' panchavadyam started, the police intervened. Even the committee members were pushed aside.

There is also a complaint that a priest of the Vadakkunnathan Temple was stopped when he was trying to give water to an elephant from the Paramekkavu section.

The Thiruvambadi Devaswom has warned that there will be severe protests if unnecessary restrictions continue for the next Pooram as well. There was a big protest against the city police commissioner for lathi charge by police during Pooram last year. The Thiruvambadi section said that this cannot be tolerated as it happened this year as well.