Maha Shivratri : PM Modi to inaugurate 112-ft Shiva statue in Coimbatore today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a 112-foot tall face of Lord Shiva or ‘Adhiyogi’ at Isha Foundation, about 25 km from Coimbatore on Maha Shivratri, on Friday.

PM Modi also tweeted wishing people on the occasion.

A five-tier security blanket has been put in place in and around the city and also Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in view of event.

With the venue being on the Western Ghats and also close to the mountain ranges in Kerala, additional police personnel would be deployed along the state borders to prevent possible infiltration of extremists and Maoists, police said.

The tight security was also being put in place in view of planned protests by human rights organisations, various political parties, farmers and tribal bodies, alleging that Adiyogi’s face was built on encroached land and that Modi’s visit would only regularise it (land).

In Chennai, the CPI(M) and CPI pointed to various alleged violations in setting up of the statue and said the Prime Minister should not visit the venue.

Modi is scheduled to arrive by 5.30 PM at Sulur airport near here and then leave for the venue by a helicopter.