Gogoi orders heightened security at Kamakhya temple

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, December 3

Acting on the intelligence input that Kamakhya temple is on the target list of jihadi groups, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has issued instructions to agencies concerned to augment the temple’s security and make it foolproof. The temple is often visited by VIPs visiting the state, besides usual devotees.

Gogoi met senior officials to review the security measures in and around the temple located on Nilachal hills overlooking the Brahmaputra. The Chief Minister directed the agencies to bank more on high-tech equipment to secure the temple, besides increasing the deployment of security personnel.

He also called for putting the transportation system to and from the temple under scanner without causing any hassles to tourists and devotees. He directed the Kamrup (metropolitan) District Administration to evict encroachers from the land belonging to the temple trust so that unwanted elements couldn’t strike roots in the vicinity of the temple.

Assam DGP Khagen Sarma said jihadi groups might try to target Kamakhya temple and the police had taken steps to augment the security cover to the temple.

Though no militant outfits or jihadi groups have tried to strike terror in Kamakhya temple so far, the ULFA had once attacked security personnel in the temple.