District Superintendent of Police V. Baskaran has instructed 387 personnel including an ADSP, six DSP, 10 Inspectors, 20 Sub-Inspectors and 350 policemen for bandobust duty to Palani Sri Dhandayuthapani Swami temple on Friday. All the personnel would be deployed for the bandobust ahead of the Thai Poosam celebrations scheduled on Monday. Already, the Dindigul police have moved a little over 1,000 personnel on bandobust duty. At least five to 10 lakh devotees would throng the temple in the next three to four days, officials said and the number of devotees coming from different destinations by padayatra has also been steadily increasing.
Aged man dies, on way to Palani
In a tragic incident, an 80-year-old man identified as Chellan of Jayakondan, near Karaikudi, in Sivaganga district was found dead near here on Friday.
According to eye witness accounts, the aged man, who was on a padayatra to Palani temple, was coming near the by-pass stretch, when he fainted. Shopkeepers alerted the police and the Dindigul Taluk police found the man unconscious. They took him to the Government Hospital, where the doctors pronounced him dead. Preliminary inquiries revealed that Chellan was a regularly visiting the temple every year despite his advanced age. The body was sent to his home town.