President Ram Nath Kovind visiting Rameswaram today, security tightened

Rameswaram: Security has been tightened in Ramanathapuram district, in particular the pilgrim-island, with the President Mr Ram Nath Kovind scheduled to reach here on Saturday as part of a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu. According to his tentative programme schedule, the President reaches Madurai from New Delhi by a special IAF aircraft at 10-15 am on Saturday and from there takes a chopper to Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district.

From Mandapam, the President will drive down to the ancient Sri Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram and offer special prayers around 12 noon. After what will be his first visit to this temple, the President, after lunch and brief rest, pays homage at the memorial of the former President A P J Abdul Kalam. The President then returns to Madurai later in the afternoon from Mandapam through a chopper and would proceed to Chennai from the temple city. In view of the President's visit, security has been beefed up in all places and pilgrims visiting the temple were thoroughly frisked, besides those visiting the Dr Kalam memorial.