Police in State are stepping up surveillance at small temples which are being targeted by miscreants. Those who burnt the chariot at Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy devastanam at Antarvedi in East Godavari district three months ago are reportedly continuing attacks on temples.
ADVERTISEMENT
Unidentified persons vandalised the idols in more than 15 temples at different places in the last few months. They broke open the locks of the temples and desecrated the idols.
According to the police, who are investigating the cases, the accused are targeting small temples, located in isolated places and which do not have proper security. Miscreants are also focussing on the temples which do not have CCTVs.
“In most of the cases, the miscreants are concentrating on creating law and order problem and disrupt communal peace by vandalising the idols of ‘grama devatalu’ (village deities) and the idols placed under trees in rural areas without any security,” said a police officer.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The Police Department has installed CCTVs at about 1,000 temples in the last few days to prevent attacks on shrines. Depuy SPs and Station House Officers (SHOs) are holding discussions with the village heads, community leaders, gram panchayat members and the families who are manning the temples in providing CCTVs at all the temples,” an investigation officer told The Hindu on Monday.
In Vijayawada, the incident in Sri Sitarama mandiram near Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) occurred in the early hours of Sunday. Auto drivers visited the temple and had a darshan of the deity around 5 a.m., the police, who are investigating the case, said.
Situation reviewed
Meanwhile, the police officers reviewed the investigation of Ramateertam and other incidents and on the law and order situation in the State, on Monday.