THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An exclusive police team comprising 233 men will be formed by the State police to guard the riches in the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple here. The decision to form the ‘Temple Security Wing’ follows a slew of complaints over the existing makeshift arrangement for temple security.
Currently, 233 police personnel drawn from various police camps in the city are posted at the temple. Vigilance Director Venugopal K Nair, who is heading the temple security committee to oversee the security issues, said the Government has already despatched the order for forming the wing.
”The order has been issued to frame a special elite wing exclusively for guarding the temple and its riches,” he said.
The order stipulates inclusion of almost 50 trained commandos among the 233 recruits, he said.
Sources said the Government has issued orders regarding the formation of a formidable wing
comprising CIs, SIs, ASIs and constables, who are now undergoing training in various centres of the State.
The expert panel appointed by the Supreme Court had recommended that the security of the temple be beefed up to protect the temple treasure. Already, the police have installed 58 CCTV cameras at a cost of ` 1.55 crore for 24x7 surveillance.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had said that the State Government would sanction another Rs 33 crore for buying security gadgets and other mandatory equipment suggested by the expert committee headed by M V Nair.