The iconic Thrissur Pooram fireworks in Kerala, one of the most anticipated pyrotechnic displays in the state, left spectators disappointed on April 20. Protests over police restrictions at Thekkinkadu maidan led to a delay of over four hours, forcing the fireworks to take place in daylight. Beginning around 7 a.m., the show lost its usual splendor, reduced to a mere display of smoke and sound.
The Thiruvambadi Devaswom initially called off the Pooram in protest against the police restrictions, resulting in a stalemate. After several rounds of discussions and the intervention of Revenue Minister K. Rajan, the fireworks eventually commenced, marking the first administrative delay in the history of Thrissur Pooram fireworks.