Chennai: Around 64,217 cops have been deployed to maintain law and order in Tamil Nadu during the 10-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which commenced on Saturday.
The police have also allowed the installation of 1,519 Lord Ganesha idols in the state.
Central and state police agencies are keeping a strict vigil on a few individuals, who were earlier arrested for nefarious anti-national activities and are out on bail.
State police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure peaceful celebrations.
The police would monitor the idol immersion processions using CCTV cameras and drones. The state administration has also made elaborate arrangements for regulating the crowd at public bus stations.
The police were also deployed for the smooth movement of traffic.
Processions at sensitive and hypersensitive routes/places will be directly monitored from the TN Police headquarters through CCTV live streaming.
The Vinayagar idols installed at different places will be GPS tagged onto the SMART KAVALAR app for monitoring and supervision.
Special pujas, Maha Ganapathi Homams were performed at various temples across the state on Saturday.
Devotees climbed a 272-foot-high hillock in Tiruchirapalli to offer prayers at the ancient ‘Uchi Pillaiyar’ temple and the ‘Manicka Vinayagar’ temple at the bottom of the hillock.
K. P. Chakrapani, businessman and an ardent devotee of Lord Vinayagar while speaking to IANS said: “Several thousand people have offered their worship at the historic 1600-year-old Sri Karpaga Vinayagar temple at Pilliayarpetti in Sivaganga district.”
Sri Karpaga Vinayagar temple of Tamil Nadu has a six-foot rock-cut idol of Lord Vinayagar.
Immersion of the idols will occur on September 27 and central agencies are monitoring these idols installed in sensitive districts and areas where clashes were reported.
Stunning decorations, cultural events and religious ceremonies by various public Ganesh Mandals mark the festivities.
As the events attract a large number of devotees and visitors, contributing to the festive atmosphere Police have put in place extensive security arrangements.
–IANS
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