Security beefed up after bomb threat to Meenakshi temple

Panic gripped the temple area as news spread that the office of the Madurai City police had received an e-mail claiming that a bomb planted on the temple premises would go off anytime.

With the deployment of adequate police force, the personnel were engaged in frisking devotees before accessing the temple.

More importantly, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad teams were also rushed to the temple premises and conducted thorough checks that lasted for hours together. Moreover, brigades with sniffer dogs were involved in search operations, sources said.

Meanwhile, Madurai City Commissioner of Police S. Davidson Devasirvatham, along with a team, held inspections inside the temple. Apart from the existing security force deployed on a daily routine at the entrances of the temple, 350 police personnel were also mobilised to provide security.

However, it did not affect the flow of devotees accessing the temple. K. Ramesh, who along with his family, came all the way from Gudiyatham, was wondering about the unusual presence of police personnel in the vicinity of the temple.

Pandiyarajan, a shopkeeper inside the temple, said all shops remained open as usual at 7 am and there was no sign of panic.

A policeman from Subramaniyapuram station, deployed for security purpose at the South Gate of the temple, said he was called to report for duty at 11 pm on Wednesday.

The police officials later confirmed that it was a hoax bomb threat.

However, based on the intelligence report, shared from Chennai through the Directorate General of Police, security forces increased vigilance at the temple, the sources said.