Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that this year's iconic Thrissur Pooram concluded without any issues due to the efforts of the district administration, police and other authorities.

Vijayan, in a Facebook post, said that the popular annual festival is not only a religious ceremony but also marks the cultural heritage of Kerala, and as a result, its fame has reached far outside the state.

He said that the government had begun the necessary preparations months ago to organise the Pooram in the best possible way without compromising on the ritualistic matters.

As part of that, 4,000 police personnel were deployed for safety and security of the thousands who turn up to witness the grand procession of caparisoned elephants and the electrifying rhythm of traditional percussion music, that are major features of the festival, the CM said.

Besides that, CCTV cameras were also installed at all strategic locations in the city and at the festival site, he added.

In addition, the police and the Excise Department intensified joint inspections to prevent the spread of drugs, he said.

Vijayan said that there was coordination of various departments, experienced officers were deputed for duty, existing laws and court orders regarding waste management, fireworks, and elephant parade were complied with, all to ensure the festival was a success.

In his post, he congratulated everyone, including the people of Thrissur, for working hard to make the festival a success.