Chennai, Sept 21:
Hundreds and thousands of people participated as more than 1,500 idols of various hues and sizes and installed in various parts of Chennai city and suburbs were brought in a procession and immersed in the sea and water bodies, amid tight security on Sunday.
In Chennai, the idols were immersed in four locations identified by the police –Srinivasapuram and Pattinappkam, Neelangarai and Kasimedu fishing Harbour, and Tiruvottriyur in Chennai this evening.
This year, police had accorded permission for installing close to 37,000 idols across Tamil Nadu and have deployed nearly one lakh personnel on security to ensure the event passes off peacefully.
Police sources said that the idol immersion event passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state and in city.
In fact the idol immersion ceremony began yesterday in various districts and also continued today, bringing down the curtain on the week-long colourful festivities.
Police said giant cranes, eight JCB vhicles and trolleys to transport the idols to the seashore were deployed. Police have made elaborate arrangements including erecting several monitoring towers
on the Marina beach front, drones and CCTV cameras as part of security, besides deploying ambulances, fire service vehicles, two ICG ships and trained swimmers.
In Chennai, permission has been granted for the installation of 1,562 idols as against 1,519 last year, according to the Greater Chennai city police and so far more than 1,000 idols were immersed since morning including those brought in processions from suburbs, in the sea and in other water bodies.
Police have made elaborate security arrangements in all the routes and on the Marina beach front and other places as the idols of the Elephantine God, were taken in a procession amid fanfare and religious fervour and bursting of crackers and immersed in the sea. A total of 18,500 police personnel were deployed on security duty as part of the idol immersion ceremony.
Hundreds and thousands of people, including women with their children, took part in the procession, which waded through the routes identified by the police, avoiding the stretches where places of worship were located, by dancing to the beating of drums.
Several ardent devotees, with a saffron shawl around their and saffron-coloured headband on their forehead, took part in the procession by taking photos and selfies.
Though those who were part of the procession were not allowed to enter the seashore after it reached the beach front, trained divers, fishermen, NGOs and swimmers, were specially deployed, to carry the idols for immersion in the sea. Police maintained a strict surveillance in the entire beach front from watch towers besides using advanced binoculars and drones. Police personnel mounted on the horseback and using the All Terrain Vehicles (Beach Buggies) also were engaged in sea patrolling.
Public, who had thronged the beach front in large numbers to witness the immersion, were also banned from entering the seafront.