Security beefed up at Assam's Kamakhya temple for 'Ambubachi Mela'

Security has been tightened at the Kamakhya temple in Assam, where thousands of pilgrims are going to assemble during the upcoming four-day 'Ambubachi Mela'.  About 1.5 million devotees and tourists from across the globe are expected to visit the state for the festival, which will begin on June 22 and end on June 25.

With the recent discovery of a programmable timer device from the Kanchenjunga Express on June 17, police have made elaborate arrangements for the safety of the pilgrims who visit the temple.

The district administration has deployed police and paramilitary forces at the temple premises. 64 CCTV cameras have been installed at strategic points inside and outside the temple precincts.

The cameras would help the police to closely monitor the visitors and ensure their security. The strategically placed CCTV cameras would transmit live feeds, which will be monitored from the control room by the police.

"The Debutter board has installed 64 CCTV cameras and security officials as well as paramilitary forces have been posted in and around the temple premises. Scouts and guides have also agreed to volunteer during the festival, apart from the local volunteers that would be present. So, security arrangements have been beefed up from our side," said Nabapati Sharma, secretary of Kamakhya Debutter Board. Police patrolling has also been intensified to maintain law and order situation in and around the temple premises. More than 600 volunteers, including scouts, guides and National Cadet Corps cadets would be deployed to assist temple authorities to maintain order during the Ambubachi festival. The temple authorities have made adequate arrangement to accommodate the huge conglomeration of devotees, including their food.

Appropriate arrangements have been made for emergency services like fire and health too. Social groups have also stepped in to help in the supplies of food, shelter and management. "The number of devotees visiting this place is increasing each year. Considering the crowd this time, it seems that more than 1.5 million would be visiting the temple. Last year, around 1.3 million devotees came for the festival," said Deepak Choudhary, SSP, Guwahati.

The festival of Ambubachi, which normally falls on June 22, symbolizes earth or mother Kamakhya attaining fertility as she prepares herself to conceive.

Source: The Indian Express

Additional 51 cameras at Kamakhya

 As many as 64 electronic eyes will keep a close watch on devotees during the annual Ambubachi mela beginning at the Kamakhya temple on June 23. A police source said the closed-circuit television cameras would keep tabs on visitors and look out for troublemakers during the four-day religious congregation.  He said apart from 13 permanent CCTVs at the temple, 51 additional cameras would be installed at strategic points inside and outside the temple precincts for the mela. Lakhs of devotees from across the country will arrive at the ancient temple for the festival.

A source said the CCTVs would help police closely monitor the visitors and ensure their security. “The strategically-placed CCTV cameras would transmit live feeds which will be monitored from the control room to be set up by police for the festival.” He said police pickets would be posted atop Nilachal Hill and patrol would be intensified in and around the temple to avoid any law and order problem during the mela days. Policemen in plainclothes will also be deployed during the festival.

The mela will commence on the night of June 22 when the temple doors will be closed to devotees. It will conclude on June 26 when the temple doors will reopen and more than one lakh devotees are expected to enter the sanctum sanctorum for darshan.
The source said adequate number policemen and CRPF personnel besides policemen in civvies would be deployed and any person who would arouse suspicion would be frisked.

Hectic preparations are on at the temple for the festival as the district administration and temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the convenience of the devotees. Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner J. Balaji, additional deputy commissioner Mrinal Gogoi, chief engineer of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, T. Rahman, and the officer-in-charge of Jalukbari police station, Kamal Rajbongshi, today visited the temple and took stock of the preparations.
Around 200 cleaners and sweepers will be engaged and the GMC will provide three garbage disposal trucks to maintain cleanliness on the temple premises from June 19 to 28. More than 600 volunteers, including scouts, guides and NCC cadets will be deployed to assist temple authorities to maintain order during the mela.
The source said arrangements for 16 special buses and 60 taxis would be made to ferry pilgrims.  The source said 200 temporary toilets would be constructed and 250 drinking water taps set up for the devotees. “Moreover, sufficient number of floodlights and streetlights will be installed in and around the temple and on the road leading to the temple from the foothills,” he added.