Pongala festival: Chandy orders withdrawal of cases

Observing the sensitivity of the case, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday ordered the police administration to withdraw cases against women devotees during Pongala festival in Thiruvananthapuram last week. 

The police had registered cases against 11,000 women devotees for blocking the roads for offering prayers at Attukal temple near Thiruvananthapuram.

The cases were registered at two police stations-Fort and Thampanoor-in Thiruvananthapuram.

The high court had banned processions and public meetings on the roads and public places last year.

The government immediately swung into action keeping in view the Piravom by-poll scheduled to be held on March 17.
 

According to reports, the government has suspended of VC Mohanan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram, along with two other sub-inspectors for registering cases against women devotees who offered Pongala.

Attukal Pongala is considered to be the women’s Sabarimala pilgrimage. It is reported that this year nearly 25 lakh women offered Pongala.

Since it was not possible for the temple to accommodate all devotees, women used roadsides where they cook pongala, a different variety of payasam, as an offer to Attukal Devi, the presiding deity in Attukal temple.