Post the 400-year-old idol of Sri Rama was vandalised by miscreants at Ramatheertham temple in Vizianagaram district, security has been beefed up at all the major religious places in the three coastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.
Speaking to The Hindu, DIG (Visakhapatnam range) L.K.V. Ranga Rao said that all major places of worship in the three districts have been identified and adequate security has been placed, including setting up of CCTVs and access control.
Giving details he said, “In the three districts there are 3,591 temples, 1,381 churches and 177 mosques. Of them, 391 have been identified as important, which includes 25 in Visakhapatnam, 263 in Vizianagaram and 103 in Srikakulam.”
Of the total, access control and security has been provided to 79, which includes nine in Visakhapatnam, one in Vizianagaram and 69 in Srikakulam.
A total of 1,717 of the religious places have now come under CCTV cover, which includes 644 in Visakhapatnam, 878 in Vizianagaram and 195 in Srikakulam districts. “This apart, we have form temple committees in 551 temples in Visakhapatnam, 1,380 in Vizianagaram and 488 in Srikakulam districts,” he added.
Mr. Ranga Rao also said that 508 religious places in Visakhapatnam, 1,704 in Vizianagaram and 594 in Srikakulam, will now come under surveillance and patrolling.
“For smaller temples, we are asking the local youth to form committees and assist us in security and safeguard of the temples,” he said.
Regarding the Ramatheertham issue, the DIG said that all angles are being probed and the investigation will be completed shortly. He also said that CID has also been roped into investigate the case.
On the law and order issue that resulted from visits of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress Party MP V. Vijaya Sai Reddy, to Ramatheertham on Saturday, he said that clear instructions were given to stagger the timings of their visits, but somehow they were not adhered to.
On the Komalamma temple, a major place of worship for the tribal people at Paderu in Visakhapatnam district, he said that the idol was not vandalised by any person, but it broke after it was hit by a vehicle, since the idol is placed abutting the ghat road.
The DIG appealed to the people to maintain peace and not indulge in any politics with religion.
