Pampa police have intensified their search to find the accused of theft of copper wires and 2G carriers of BSNL towers at Saramkuthi in Sabarimala temple, Pathanamthitta. The police have retrieved the fingerprints of the suspected thieves.
A 2G carrier was found at the site. Fingerprints of the robbers were obtained from this electronic device. To match this, fingerprints of workers in the Sannidhanam, Pamba, and Nilakkal areas have been collected. Currently, there are about two hundred workers here.
The bandits are suspected to be those who know the topography of Sabarimala temple and its surroundings. The investigation team reckons the accused entered, stole, and left the crime scene through the thick forests encircling the area.
The power line from Pampa to Sannidhanam is being repaired as part of the annual pilgrimage preparations. There have been power outages during the day for the last week. Authorities claimed the CCTVs in the area are not working due to this.
This is when the theft took place at Saramkuthi. CCTV footage before and after power interruptions will be examined. Why does not the famous temple have solar-powered electricity or backup? Is there a conspiracy behind this arson at play this year, too?
BSNL has estimated that copper wires and three 2G carriers will cost Rs 2.63 lakh. Asbestos sheets ruptured after the copper encased in plastic cables were piled up and burned. For this and the damage to the tower, there is a loss of ten thousand rupees. A total loss of 2.73 lakhs was reported.
At Sabarimala, theft happens before the preparations for the pilgrimage begin. As part of the pilgrimage preparations, the items are stolen before the annual maintenance work starts. In previous years, several public property thefts have occurred in Nilakkal. Taps in toilets, electric switchboards, water kiosks, etc., have been stolen several times.
During this time of the year, people do not travel on foot from Saramkuthi to Sannidhanam. This area is covered with thickets and forests. Tractors do pass through Chandranandan Road. It is inferred that the thieves who arrived here returned through the forest with the stolen goods.
The whole region is controlled by openly anti-Hindu Abrahamics who have destroyed the Sabarimala temple and indulged in land grabbing. Though it is a Reserve Forest, the land/quarry mafia still operates with impunity. There is no permanent police station here except during the pilgrimage season.
The thefts are known to the authorities. Some Devaswom Board officials and the Forest Department allegedly connive with private contractors undertaking the repairs. Both parties know that an investigation or legal action will not be initiated against them.
The usual refrain of the authorities is that wild boar or deer destroyed the equipment. Experts say such illogical comments are liabilities of employing atheists and communists in temples.
Ayyappa Seva Samajam protested and said the security breach at Sabarimala was severe. It is grave that the forest guards did not know even though arsonists camped in the security zone forest and set the cables on fire. The fact that the incident occurred when lakhs of devotees were expected to visit the place within the next month adds to the seriousness of the incident. Sabarimala temple is scheduled to open on the 17th for Tulamasa (Malayalam month) pujas.
