Thrissur: Disturbances at the Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala earlier this year were part of a larger conspiracy aimed at influencing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, claims an investigation report by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ajith Kumar.
The report submitted to the state government in September also absolves Kerala police of any lapses. Instead, it accuses officials from the Thiruvambady Devaswom of 'orchestrating the disruption', without naming any particular political party.
According to the report, the disruptions were allegedly planned and carried out by a group of key officials from the Thiruvambady Devaswom, including Sundar Menon, Gireesh Kumar, Vijaya Menon, Unnikrishnan, and Ravi, along with associates such as Jose Thonikkal and Krishnadas.
The report claims these individuals deliberately halted the Pooram procession and returned the elephants after scheduled times, which was a significant disruption to the event.
"The disruption was part of a political conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the government's image ahead of the elections," the report reads. It also notes that the Thiruvambady Devaswom had tried to call off the festival over security and procedural disputes, including a refusal to extend the decontamination zone until 2.30 AM and also to relax Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) regulations regarding fireworks.
While the investigation cleared the Kerala police of any wrongdoing, it pointed out that the Paramekkavu Devaswom had conducted its rituals smoothly and without incident, in contrast to the turmoil at Thiruvambady. The report concluded that the disruptions were politically motivated, aiming to create chaos and use public dissatisfaction to pressure the state government.
Thrissur Pooram Festival disruption: The controversy
The renowned Thrissur Pooram festival, a 10-day celebration held at the Vadakkumnathan Temple in Kerala's cultural hub, was abruptly halted on April 19 due to alleged police intervention.
The incident occurred during a period of intense campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. The festival took a contentious turn when police erected barricades at Swaraj Round by 10 pm to manage crowds for the 3 am fireworks display, thus blocking access for many attendees eager to participate in the festival.
This disruption also impacted the Thiruvambady deity's procession, as police closed all routes to the Vadakkumnathan Temple, leading to widespread frustration among the crowd.
When attendees questioned the police, tensions escalated, culminating in a lathi charge. The procession was abandoned midway, with only one elephant participating instead of the scheduled nine, and the music came to a halt by 1:30 am.
The situation deteriorated further when police attempted to remove fireworks from the venue, prompting a confrontation with the crowd. Following the disruption, the state government asked ADGP M R Ajith Kumar to investigate the incident. After considerable delays and criticism from the Opposition and even some LDF constituents, the officer submitted his report to DGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb on September 21.
'Reports based on observations, lacks evidence'
Thiruvambady Devaswom Secretary K Gireesh Kumar has strongly refuted the allegations made in the report. "The report is based on the observations of ADGP Ajith Kumar and lacks solid evidence," he stated. "It is wrong to blame the entire Devaswom for the disturbances."
He further criticised the report for "repeating the same mistakes made by the police in 2023". Gireesh Kumar called for a more thorough investigation, suggesting that the matter be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ensure an impartial and detailed probe.
The political dimension of the controversy has also drawn criticism from CPI leader VS Sunil Kumar, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar called the report 'incomplete' and accused the ADGP of failing to identify the true culprits.
"The report unfairly blamed the Thiruvambady Devaswom, protecting those really responsible for the sabotage," Kumar said. He emphasised that the disturbances were politically motivated and designed to manipulate public sentiment against the state government.
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