Mattanchery Police ask organisers to remove 50-ft-tall effigy at Kochi’s Veli Ground

City police have asked the organisers of the Gala de Fort Kochi club, who have set up a nearly 50ft-tall Pappanji (the giant effigy of an old man), at the Veli Ground in Fort Kochi, to remove the effigy citing safety and security concerns.

The decision has thrown cold water on the organisers, who were busy with the preparations for the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the region.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mattancherry, issued a notice to the organisers the other day to remove the effigy after pointing out the inability to deploy an adequate number of police personnel at Veli ground on New Year’s Eve.

A large number of police personnel will have to be deployed at Parade Ground where the annual event of burning the effigy will be held on December 31 at midnight. A huge number of visitors including foreign tourists would turn up on the day at the grounds. Around 1000 police personnel will have to be deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation and to provide adequate security to the visitors, noted the police official.

Burning of the effigy at Veli Ground, which is hardly two kilometres away from the parade ground, poses serious security risks considering the possibility of a huge cord turning up there. It would be impossible for the police to take up the crowd management measures and provide security cover at the two sites simultaneously, the letter noted.

The police official also raised security concerns over the practice of setting up effigies in nearby places to be burned at night. If the effigy is left unremoved, some miscreants may set it on fire, according to the letter issued by the police.

The police also pointed out that permission was denied for burning the effigy last year on security grounds.

Responding to the developments, Benedict Fernandez, a councillor of the Kochi Corporation and one of the key organisers of the event, said discussions were being held with the authorities to sort out the issue.

The practice of setting up the effigy at Veli Ground dates back to a few decades. It has also been an integral part of the cultural identity of the region, he said.