Basar Saraswathi temple theft: Police warnings ignored, security lapses persist
Despite repeated police warnings, endowment officials at the Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam in Basar failed to implement basic security measures, leading to another theft at the shrine.
Nirmal: Despite warnings by police, the endowment department officials are accused of not taking any precautions to safeguard assets and hundials (hundis) of the famed Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam of Basar. Their callous attitude resulted in another theft at the shrine highlighting security breaches.
Nearly two years ago, police wrote a letter to the authorities of the endowment department explaining measures to be taken to prevent thefts at the Saraswathi temple, after a man stole offerings from a hundial. They recommended the officials to install grills around the shrine to prevent entry of intruders.
“One can easily enter the temple premises from the rear side where hillocks and huge rocks are located. Erection of a grill that prevents intruders from reaching the shrine is the need of the hour. There are a few such breaches in the security of the shrine,” a police officer remarked.
Similarly, the police advised the officials of the temple not to ignore lapses during the review of security measures. Police disclosed that several parts of the shrine were not covered by CCTV camera-based surveillance. Police told the authorities to link CCTV cameras to a control room by establishing one.
However, none of the recommendations were implemented by the Endowment officials so far, reflecting a gross negligence in securing the shrine, a major pilgrim centre of Telangana. The official apathy is causing loss of property of the temple, ruining the image of the goddess of learning.
In the latest instance, a silver crown worth Rs 2.50 lakh adoring the presiding deity of the sub-temple was stolen by two miscreants, necessitating the need to strengthen the security measures. The miscreants managed to flee from the rear side after dumping the hundial lifted from the temple.
The holy place is the only temple that houses goddess Saraswathi in southern India after a popular abode of the goddess of learning located in Kashmir. Parents from not only several parts of Telangana, but also neighboring Maharashtra, Karnataka and TamilNadu throng this shrine for performing Aksharabhayasam, a customary ritual for initiating children into education and world of alphabets
