Action against erring officials demanded

MADURAI

Social activists in Madurai blame the official machinery for the poor arrangements, which allegedly left two devotees dead and over 20 other with multiple injuries during the entry Lord Kallazhagar entry into the Vaigai river on Saturday.

Speaking to The Hindu, the activists said when the police gave protection to VVIPs and senior officers, they miserably failed to safeguard the lives of the devotees. Anand Raj, an RTI activist, wanted the government to release the list of VVIPs (including Ministers, MLAs and MPs) for whom the police gave protection. How many IAS, IPS and other high-ranking officials were present at Goripalayam - Albert Victor Bridge area. He also said how many passes were printed and issued to the VVIPs and which departments were given the authority to them should be made public.

High Court advocate Venkatesh said Hindu Relligious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister Sekar Babu had told the Legislative Assembly that elaborate arrangements were made for the Chitirai festival. The police not only behaved in an arrogant manner, but also were careless in their duty. It was a case of sheer negligence. Every officer should be pulled up and booked under IPC Sections, he stressed.

He further said the police were keen on giving protection to the VVIPs and in the course neglected the common man. “The government cannot find an excuse that Lord Kallazhagar entered the Vaigai after two years and hence the crowd was unprecedented,” he said. If it was the case, the officials should have drawn a comprehensive security plan, he added.

Crowd management by the police was poor, exposing their incompetence. The government was bound to fix accountability and mere compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased was not enough, he argued.

A senior AIADMK functionary said it was not time to indulge in politics. The Chitirai festival’s highlight was Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the Vaigai. The administrators and the police should take proactive steps at least in the future to ensure no such recurrence of a stampede.