The squabbling of security forces atop Indrakeeladri is a cause for concern to devotees and employees of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanams. The Special Protection Force (SPF) and police are at loggerheads over jurisdictions throwing the security into jeopardy.
There have been many instances of failures in the security of Kanaka Durga temple which is the second biggest temple in the State after Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) even in the past but no concrete steps have been taken to improve matters resulting in new problems.
The discovery of a dead human body in the drinking water tank of Kanaka Durga temple in May 2012 kicked up a storm among the pilgrims. The body of an unidentified person was found floating in the overhead tank a few yards away from the temple’s Annadanam hall, where food is served to thousands of pilgrims every day.
And in February 2012, the sudden appearance of a sack containing coins at Bhavanideeskha mandapam pointed at gaping holes in the security on Indrakeeladri. The employees, priests and officials blamed each other causing confusion among security personnel but the pilferage (of coins) and other materials was never probed.
There have been instances of security guards entering the sanctum sanctorum, which is prohibited by agama sastras. A private security guard is said to have entered the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Nataraja Swami temple on the premises of Kanaka Durga temple in 2006.
The security guard Ranga Rao told the priest that he had entered the temple only to check how many priests were on duty. Tempers ran high between the temple priests and the then temple Trust Board Chairman P. Narayana Reddy when the guard claimed that he entered sanctum sanctorum following instructions from the chairman.
Burglars gained entry into temple in early 2000 and decamped with Goddess Kanaka Durga jewels worth of crores of rupees. And, there were reports that temple employees used to pull out money from the hundis directly, and during hundial collection counting.
The temple officials make a hullabaloo as and when an incident occurs. The priests conducted ‘Prayaschitta poorvaka samprokshana homam’ on two occasions: when the dead body was found and security guard entered the sanctum sanctorum.
