Stalin to inaugurate dedicated police station for Arunachaleswarar temple on Dec. 27

Prime Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate a special police station for the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town on December 27 during his two-day visit to the region.

Mr Stalin will inaugurate a three-day mega agricultural exhibition, a new bus terminal and a wholesale flower and vegetable market in the town during his visit to the town from December 26-27. The idea of ​​setting up a separate police station for the Arunachaleswarar temple is aimed at ensuring the safety of pilgrims, including foreign tourists, in and around the temple premises, police said.

On an average, around three lakh devotees visit the temple town every day. Footsteps increase exponentially during weekends and festival seasons. “Initially, the new police station will operate from the existing Tiruvannamalai town police station building before a permanent building is constructed near the temple. A land is being identified for this purpose,” said a senior police officer. Hindu.

Police said well-known temples like Palani (Adivaram police), Rameshwaram and Tiruchendur have separate police stations to cater to their needs, especially crowd management, and to prevent petty crimes targeting devotees.

Currently, Tiruvannamalai town police guard the Arunachaleswarar temple and all 39 wards within Tiruvannamalai Corporation limits. It deploys police personnel, including women police officers, on bandobast duties to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

A small police station is also functional inside the temple to regulate devotees. Established over four decades ago, the police station has around five police personnel led by a special sub-inspector (SSI).

According to the plan, the British-era town police station, established in the 1890s, was divided into two and the new temple police station was created. All four Mada streets and residential areas around the temple will come under the new temple police station. Approximately 50 police personnel, including female police officers, will be on duty. It will cover all three wings of the police (crime, law and order and traffic). Currently, there are 54 police stations in the district, 39 of which are police stations.

Devotees said a separate police station for the temple could help regulate devotees at the temple, thus reducing the overall waiting time for pilgrims while taking darshan. It will also help them easily reach the relevant police personnel to immediately report thefts and other minor crimes.