Thrissur Police Commissioner wants his men in Guruvayoor temple

THRISSUR: The City Police Commissioner has urged the Home Department to deploy police personnel along with Devaswom security staff inside the premises of the Guruvayur temple in view of the Sabarimala season. Following several complaints over the conduct of the police, the State Government had called back cops from inside the premises in October 2011.

However, cases of theft inside the temple recorded a peak after that and this forced the police chief to deploy his men inside the temple.

According to reliable sources, City Police Commissioner Jacob Job submitted a report to the DGP on the issue.

It is learnt that the Commissioner also wrote to District Collector M.S.Jaya about this, as she now holds additional charge of Devaswom administrator.

“The Devaswom officials are not trained to handle a huge crowd, especially  on auspicious days and during the Sabarimala season. And they even fail to communicate with devotees from outside Kerala. Chain snatching cases have also increased ever since the cops withdrew from the chuttamabalam.

“Besides, the State Intelligence Department has suggested that the Government tighten security in Guruvayur. There are frequent VIP visits to the temple and the escort had been posing problems for the police”, said a senior police officer.

Even though a temple police station had started functioning a few months ago in Guruvayur, the police has had no role inside the temple.