Thiruvananthapuram: A video of a policeman stopping a Lord Ram decor has sparked a row in Kerala. The idol was to be displayed during the famous Thrissur Pooram festival in the state. 

This year, Thrissur Pooram saw an intense police interference, leading to organisers stopping the Thrissur Pooram mid way. 

A video of a cop trying to stop a Ram decor has emerged. Meanwhile, the BJP has alleged that the cops tried to sabotage the Thrissur Pooram festivities. The emergence of the video led to a controversy, leading to a blame game.  

In the video, the Thrissur police commissioner was seen restricting the iconography of Lord Ram with a bow stretch which was supposed to be placed atop the well decorated elephant as part of the ritual, on Friday evening. The cop was trying to stop the decor from entering the complex of the Shiv Temple which witnessed the festival. 

According to sources, some core rituals associated with the world famous festival, which is celebrated with grand fervour, didn’t take place due to restrictions imposed by the police this year. Some of the events had to be cancelled while some of them led to protests by the organizers as they didn’t want to have it because of excessive police force.  Police even resorted to lathi charge as well, sources said. Whereas, police officials have said that they were not trying to create a hindrance during the festival but rather trying to control the crowd.