Crowd control measures on, but no security

VISAKHAPATNAM: A huge number of VVIPs frequently visit the Sri Varahalakshmi Nrusimhaswami Temple of Simhachalam but this historic temple does not receive proper security either from the police or the endowments department. Though the temple is one of the most important Hindu temples in the country, only four special protection force personnel guard it.The Simhachalam temple is unique as the deity is present there in three avatars - human, lion and Varaham. The idols are kept wrapped in huge quantity of sandal paste throughout the year and only one a year do the devotees get to see the deity’s ‘nija rupam’. The temple also has a strong financial record with fixed assets and lands.But in today’s terror-ridden atmosphere when attacks on various places of worship are rampant, the temple seems hardly bothered about security. For the last two decades, it has been concentrating on protecting its lands and fighting legal battles in various courts.The temple has deployed many men and women for crowd control but they are not involved in the security related aspects. There are no security checks even at the main entrance of the temple, leave aside the other three entry points. No metal detector or security outpost stand guard there.Ask the police and they say that the Simhachalam temple is not a high risk temple and therefore does not need tight security. But apart from the devotees from the four corners of the state, people from other states like Orissa and Chhattisgarh also come here for darshan. The government has deployed a Special Protection Force (SPF) to safeguard the idols and the jewellery of the temple but none to safeguard the devotees. Four armed cops- a head constable and three constables are responsible for the security inside the temple but security outside is not under their purview.Express also found that devotees reach the temple via three ways - the ghat road, the steps from down the hill and the original steps from the Madhavaswami temple. There is a toll-gate at the ghat road entrance where three private security guards and a temple employee collect the vehicle entry fee. They do not check the vehicle or baggage. When asked, they coolly reply that their job was to only control the traffic at the gate.“Though it is a big temple, our sources say there is no threat here. However, police vigil is always there,” said a police officer. But there are only five CCTV cameras around the main temple. The operator if the camera attends to his duty only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and has access to only one monitor.The SPF wing had asked the temple authorities to modernize the CCTVs and install more cameras at vulnerable places, but the latter did not pay heed. It also asked for high power search lights, a public addressing system, three more metal detectors. The temple officials, however, say that they have written to the commissioner of endowments for permission.When asked about security checks and entry level vigil, Inspector of SPF RV Ramana said that the SPF was limited to safeguarding the deity and jewellery and the security outside have to be handled by local police.The inspector at the Gopalapatnam Police Station, K Kumara Swami, said that a police station has been sanctioned and the temple has allotted land for it next to the RTC complex. The inspector further added that the police were always conducting security checks in and around the temple.