Thrissur: Amid the criticism against the Thrissur police over the restrictions on world-famous Thrissur Pooram, visuals of an angry district police chief Ankit Asokan blocking mahouts from feeding elephants have come out. In the video, the police official was seen quarrelling with the mahouts who were heading to feed the elephants paraded in the festival. 

'Eduthondu poda patta' (get lost with the palm leaf), the official shouted at the mahouts. 

The visuals also featured the cops blocking the men who were taking the parasols for 'Kudamattam' to the temple premises. Later, they were allowed to enter the festival venue. 

The police curbs on Thrissur Pooram triggered a political row in the state as Congress and BJP slammed the LDF government for disturbing the historic temple festival. 

This year, Thrissur Pooram was celebrated on April 19, Friday. For the first time in the history of the festival, the display of fireworks, one of the major attractions of the event, which was scheduled in the wee hours, was held in broad daylight on Saturday, which turned out to be a disappointment for the festival buffs. 

CM assures serious probe into complaints
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said a serious probe would be held into the complaints raised by Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady Devaswom committees and members of the public who attended the Thrissur Pooram. While addressing a press meeting in Kasaragod, the CM said the government had limitations to interfere in the matter as Lok Sabha polls round the corner but promised an inquiry by the DGP. 

"It should be seriously probed what had happened on the Pooram day. A complaint sent by the Devaswom authorities is there...The Director General of Police has been directed to carry out a probe into the incidents and submit a report," the CM said. Necessary action would be taken after the investigation, he added. 

Pinarayi Vijayan said the government and the temple committees had a cordial relationship and they had even requested him to attend the Pooram festivities on Friday but he could not attend due to election campaigning schedules. 

(With PTI inputs)