Sabarimala: Security tightened, Sec 144 imposed ahead of temple opening

Agencies

November 4, 2018

Pathanamthitta, Nov 4: In an attempt to avoid violence and unrest in Sabarimala temple, which is slated to open for a special religious ceremony on November 5, the state administration has deployed scores of police personnel in Pamba and surrounding areas.

Speaking to media, Inspector General Ashok Yadav said that around 1500 police personnel have been deployed from Pamba to Sannidhanam.

Furthermore, the Pathanamthitta district administration has imposed Section 144 in Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal, and Elavunkal till November 6.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibits any assembly of five or more people in an area where it has been imposed. Every member of such “unlawful assembly” can be booked for “engaging in rioting”, the maximum punishment for which is three years.

As a precautionary measure and to avoid any untoward situation, the state security forces have also issued movement orders restricting devotees and media persons from travelling beyond a certain point. The route will be fully open for all on November 5.

The Sabarimala Temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests in October over the apex court’s decision to quash restrictions on the entry of women between the ages of 10 and 50 into the holy shrine.

More than 3000 protesters have been arrested so far for instigating the violence that broke out in the state, while around 529 cases have been registered across the state.

As per reports, the Kerala High Court has also directed the state government to report on police action after the violent protests erupted at Sabarimala in October.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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