Pathanamthitta, Monday, November 16, 2009: A suspected bomb recovery triggered panic among pilgrims today at Sabarimala who had thronged the temple, for the annual two-month pilgrimage. Though the exercise lasted a few minutes the news spread as wild fire and send panic waves among devotees. The police later informed that, it was a mock drill conducted to check the security preparedness.
A section of ayappa devotees felt that the mock drill was most uncalled for there was heavy rush.

More than 5,000 officials, including around 3,000 policemen, will be deployed in the temple town in Pathanamthitta district to oversee the daily administration of the festival season.