Madurai City Police take out a route march on a Masi street on Friday ahead of Vinayaka Chathurthi processions.
| Photo Credit: G. MOORTHY
For the last two days, Madurai City Police have been taking out route marches on arterial roads in the city ahead of idol processions in connection with Vinayaka Chathurthi festival.
Officials in the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police, Assistant Commissioners and Inspectors marched on various stretches of the roads. “Route march is taken out to instil confidence among the people of the city that the police force is ready to provide all bandobust during the processions,” Commissioner of Police J. Loganathan said.
On Thursday evening, the small teams of police personnel walked on the roads through which the idols installed in various places would be taken to East Masi Street for the procession on the Masi streets on the way to Vaigai river for immersion.
Around 350 idols of over three feet installed in the city would be brought in the procession on September 7, 8 and 9.
Besides, some of the idols would be taken in procession in Tirupparankundram and Avaniapuram.
On Friday evening, senior police officials, including the Deputy Commissioners, covered all the four Masi streets.
With many of the officials, right from the DCs to Inspectors being new to the city, the route march gave them an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the route, Mr. Loganathan said.
The officials, along with the movement of a convoy of vehicles, attracted the attention of the onlookers. “We want to convey the message to trouble mongers that the police were making all efforts for peaceful conduct of the event,” the Commissioner said.
Over 2,500 police personnel would be deployed on the procession days in the city.
Additional police force and riot-control vehicles would be deployed near the two places of worship on the Masi streets.
Published – September 06, 2024 09:32 pm IST
