Security beefed up in temples ahead of Janmashtami
By IANSTuesday, August 31, 2010
NEW DELHI - Security arrangements have been beefed up in and around the big temples and markets in the capital on the eve of Janmashtami - the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, which will be celebrated Sep 2 this year.
Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the temples around the capital on the eve of Janmashtami Wednesday, and the celebrations climax at the midnight hour when the deity is believed to have taken birth.
Special security arrangements have been made for bigger temples which includes the Lakshmi Narayan temple and the Hanuman temple in central Delhi, the Iskcon temple and Chhatarpur temple in south Delhi and the Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk.
Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said: “Security has been increased at all the market places and traffic plans have been prepared on the eve of the celebrations. Armed deployment have been done at bigger temples. Door frame metal detectors and CCTVs have been installed at all these temples.”
He also said that besides police, various temples have also instructed their own volunteers to keep a strict vigil in the temple premises during the festival.
The Lakshmi Narayan temple, popularly called Birla Mandir has already put up 16 CCTV cameras and two metal detectors to keep a close watch on visitors. At Iskcon temple in South Delhi, attracting throngs of devotees on Janmashtami, several watch towers have been erected to monitor the movement of devotees.
For security reasons, no one will be allowed to carry any bag, camera or mobile phone inside the temple premises.
