Thevar Guru Puja: 10,000 Police Personnel, 400 CCTV Cameras Deployed for Security

The 119th birth anniversary and 64th Guru Puja of freedom fighter and political leader U Muthuramalinga Thevar were observed across Tamil Nadu on Friday, with senior national and state leaders paying tribute at his memorial in Pasumpon and statue in Madurai.

Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan visited the memorial at Pasumpon in Ramanathapuram district and offered floral tributes. Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar accompanied him, while former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan was also present.

The Vice-President arrived at Madurai airport from Delhi before travelling to Pasumpon by helicopter. He was scheduled to proceed to Dindigul to attend the Golden Jubilee celebrations and 39th convocation of Gandhigram Rural Institute.

Among the political leaders who paid homage were Chief Minister M K Stalin, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, AMMK general secretary T T V Dhinakaran, Naam Tamilar Katchi coordinator Seeman and former AIADMK leader V K Sasikala.

In Madurai, leaders and party workers garlanded Thevar's statue at Goripalayam Junction before travelling to Pasumpon to visit the memorial. Traffic regulations were enforced in the area to manage the movement of visitors and prevent congestion.

The administration deployed around 10,000 police personnel for security during the commemorations. At the main venue in Pasumpon, 400 CCTV cameras and 38 observation towers were installed to monitor crowds. Security was also strengthened in Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar districts, with vehicle checks and traffic restrictions put in place.

A 13.5-kg golden armour, gifted to Thevar by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014, was also placed on his statue at Pasumpon. The armour was brought from a Bank of India vault in Madurai under police protection and is scheduled to be returned to the vault on November 2.

The annual observance commemorates Thevar's role in the freedom movement and his campaigns against colonial-era discriminatory laws, including the Criminal Tribes Act.