The Pongala festival passed off peacefully on Tuesday and no major untoward incidents were reported.
Among several reported fires, one devotee suffered 12% burns after her sari caught fire from a fireplace lit for a ritual in Chakka. The injured Sandhya, a native of Kilimanoor, was subsequently admitted to the Thiruvananthapuam Government Medical College Hospital. Other fire related incidents were reported from Vanchiyoor, Bakery junction and Housing Board junction.
The Kerala Fire and Rescue Service also received nearly 40 calls regarding incidents, mostly involving devotees who became restless due to the extreme heat.
As part of the measures, almost 450 members of the Fire and Rescue Service, home guards and civil defense volunteers were deployed in five sectors. Three water tanks, a small water tank, ambulances, a foam tank, water trucks, water foggers and other vehicles were deployed at various locations in the city.
A parked car was thrown out after it caught fire, allegedly ignited by flames from a nearby rubbish heap in the premises of Motorest OZP.
Three cases of chain snatching were also reported from the city districts, but no formal complaints were received by the city police.
The state government has deployed around 5,000 policemen, including women, in four zones for the safety of the devotees. Drone surveillance, a robust network of CCTV cameras and five watch towers have also been set up for crowd control.
Apart from the main control room that functioned from the temple complex, a dedicated women’s control room was also made operational to provide assistance to women devotees. Public announcement systems were also in place at various locations to disseminate real-time safety instructions and information to the public.
Throughout the day, most major roads, except those leading to the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, remained clear as police effectively regulated traffic to ensure smooth movement of vehicles.
Published – 03 March 2026 21:13 IST
