Prayagraj: With temples and shrines turning soft targets for thieves to steal idols, ornaments and other valuables, Kaushambi police have drafted a fresh initiative to form ‘village security committees’ in every village. Thieves frequently strike three or four temples a month and manage to escape. In response, the police are now ensuring the participation of villagers.Superintendent of Police ( Kaushambi) Satyanarayan Prajapati said that the responsibility for securing temples has now been entrusted to village security committees alongside the police. Station House Officers (SHOs) concerned have been instructed to hold meetings with village heads (Pradhans) and prominent local citizens.With the cooperation of the village chiefs, CCTV cameras will be installed at prominent religious sites. This measure will not only ensure robust temple security but also help curb incidents of theft and other crimes in the villages.More than two dozen incidents of theft have occurred at temples in Kaushambi recently. Thieves often steal only brass bells, an act that hurts the religious sentiments of the people. Police sources claimed drug addicts are often found to be behind these thefts and the perpetrators are usually locals rather than outsiders. Notably, none of the temples where thefts occurred had any security arrangements in place. Typically, villagers visit the temples only for morning and evening prayers (aarti). Most temples lack a resident priest and are not even locked at night. Consequently, authorities are considering deployment of priests at these temples. eom
