Warrangal, January 31: Over 60 lakh pilgrims worshipped deities Sammakka and Saralamma at Medaram till the third day of the Jatara today.
While 5 lakh pilgrims travelled by RTC buses to the Jatara, the others came by private vehicles. The Jatara will conclude on Saturday with the tribal priests taking back Sammakka to the forest. District Collector N Sridhar has directed the officials to camp at Medaram till the festival concluded.
The Collector and Superintendent of Police Shahnawaz Qasim were personally monitoring the arrangements.
They directed the officials on duty not to leave the Jatara without prior permission.
The inflow of pilgrims has come down today. Serpentine queues were seen near the bus stand as many devotees were returning.
Meanwhile, NSS volunteers abstained from duty and staged a dharna protesting against the highhanded behaviour of a sub inspector who had allegedly slapped a volunteer near the Gaddelu.
About 100 NSS volunteers were rendering service from Day One of the Jatara. They, however, relented after the Collector recommended to the SP to initiate necessary action against the erring SI.
–Agencies