Sabarimala: Kerala Police to deploy over 10,000 security personnel at Ayyappa shrine

The Sabarimala Temple will open on November 16 for the three-month-long pilgrimage season. The police deployment will be done over five phases starting November 15.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police will deploy 10,000 officers in and around Sabarimala for the Mandala Pooja festival. The Ayyappa temple will open on November 16 for the three-month-long pilgrimage season. The deployment will be done over five phases starting from November 15.

 According to reports, Kerala Police will also post 24 superintendents of police and assistant superintendents of police, 112 deputy SPs, 264 inspectors, 1185 sub-inspectors at the temple. A total of 8,402 civil police officers, including 307 women, will be on duty around the shrine complex.

Earlier this month, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that it is not possible to make laws to circumvent the Supreme Court's order permitting entry of women of all age into the Sabarimala Temple.

Meanwhile, the Constitution Bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra will deliver the review judgment in the Sabarimala case. A total of 65 review petitions were filed against the order, and a Constitution Bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi will pronounce its verdict on the pleas tomorrow.

On September 28, 2018, the Supreme Court verdict allowed the entry of women of all age groups into the famous shrine Sabarimala. Meanwhile, four women in southern India made history by entering the Sabarimala Temple, where women of menstruating age have not been allowed for centuries.