The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government to step up security at temples

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Sunday, Feb 10, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Government to step up security at temples

B.S. Ramesh

Ornaments of ‘A’ category temples to be kept in treasury
Trained security guards to be posted to such temples

— PHOTO:M.A. SRIRAM

EASY TARGET: A file picture of Yoga Narasimhaswamy temple at Melkote.

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to step up security for temples across the State and initiate a series of other measures to prevent burglaries and dacoities at temples.

The move comes in the wake of the recent burglary at the famous Yoga Narasimha Temple at Melkote in Mandya district in which temple ornaments estimated at Rs. 4.7 lakh were stolen.

The burglary has spurred the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, which is the custodian of 34,000 temples in the State, to step up security for temples.

Commissioner for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments T. Sham Bhat told The Hindu here on Saturday that the Government had decided to install burglar alarms in 100 temples classified under Category A.

These are temples that report a revenue generation of Rs. 10 lakh or more. Apart from the Chamundi and Nanjundeshwara Temples in Mysore and Nanjangud and the Subramanya Temple at Kukke Subramanya, there were several other temples which fetched revenue in excess of Rs. 10 lakh.

Most of the revenue comes from offerings made by devotees and these temples, Mr. Bhat said possessed gold, silver, diamond ornaments and articles which were not only of historical value but priceless too. He said the department had made it mandatory for the temple administrations of these “A” category institutions to deposit gold, silver and other articles with the District Treasury.

However, almost all the “A” category temples keep within the premises gold, silver and other articles which were used for daily worship. Such articles, Mr. Bhat said, could not be kept in the treasury.

Besides installation of burglar alarms in “A” category temples, the Commissioner said the department had decided to insure all gold, silver and other antique items in these temples. This move is expected to cost the department at least Rs. 1 lakh towards insurance premium. The department feels that such expenditure would be well-spent.

Mr. Bhat said there was a proposal to induct trained security guards to ensure professionalism in guarding temples and temple property. As of now, most temples under the department had one or a handful of “chowkidars”. These men neither had any training nor equipment to effectively guard the temples.

Apart from the “A” category temples, there might be a handful of others which need enhanced security measures. He said thousands of temples under the department were situated in isolated areas or places that were far away from human habitation. The idols and some of the artefacts/articles in the temple were of historical importance but policing them regularly was a Herculean task.

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