Unexpected token error on Serverless quick start setup

Serverless Framework
1

I am following the docs at this link: Setting Up Serverless Framework With AWS
Have replicated all the steps until the deployment part.

serverless deploy -v

gives me this error:

> Syntax Error -------------------------------------------

SyntaxError: Unexpected token # in JSON at position 723
at JSON.parse ()
at exports.parse (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/rc/lib/utils.js:15:17)
at addConfigFile (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/rc/index.js:30:20)
at Array.forEach ()
at module.exports (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/rc/index.js:43:36)
at getConfig (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/@serverless/utils/config.js:87:10)
at Object.get (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/@serverless/utils/config.js:128:18)
at Object. (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/utils/analytics/areDisabled.js:5:75)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1063:30)
at Object.Module._extensions…js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1092:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:928:32)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:769:14)
at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:952:19)
at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:88:18)
at Object. (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/utils/analytics/index.js:13:30)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1063:30)
at Object.Module._extensions…js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1092:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:928:32)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:769:14)
at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:952:19)
at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:88:18)
at Object. (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/scripts/serverless.js:41:1)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1063:30)
at Object.Module._extensions…js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1092:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:928:32)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:769:14)
at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:952:19)
at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:88:18)
at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/bin/serverless.js:42:16
at Object. (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/bin/serverless.js:43:5)
at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1063:30)
at Object.Module._extensions…js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1092:10)
at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:928:32)
at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:769:14)
at Function.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (internal/modules/run_main.js:72:12)
at internal/main/run_main_module.js:17:47

Your Environment Information ---------------------------
Operating System: darwin
Node Version: 14.15.1
Framework Version: 2.15.0
Plugin Version: 4.2.0
SDK Version: 2.3.2
Components Version: 3.4.3

I havent added anything to the existing handler.js file or any other new file. There is no JSON file to look into.

What am I missing here?