UP didn146;t respond on security upgrade for temple

Sankatmochan temple, the site for tonight8217;s terror attack, was one of the temples on the list of important religious places where the C...

Sankatmochan temple, the site for tonight8217;s terror attack, was one of the temples on the list of important religious places where the Centre had carried out extensive security surveys after the Lashkar-e-Toiba attack at Akshardham in Gujarat in September 2002. 8220;Standard operating procedures8221; were drawn up to ensure proper security at these places and even contingency plans were worked out to deal with any terror attack.

The UP government was to not only implement this, but also review it annually. If necessary, it also had the option of asking NSG to carry out the periodic review. This, however, was never sought by UP authorities, who largely remained focused on the Ayodhya complex and the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The survey for Sankatmochan temple was done in 2003 by the NSG, which had pointed out areas where the State administration had to undertake actions to ensure more effective security. Some of the key suggestions were:

8226; Survey of population residing in localities around the temple, their antecedents checked and regularly updated. This measure would help keep a track on any suspect visitor.

8226; All access points into the temple must be covered by surveillance, preferably electronic.

8226; Emergency exits must be identified and should be opened immediately should any incident occur.

8226; A system should be put in place for all material supplied into the temple by civil vendors, including items for daily puja.

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When asked if the state had implemented the NSG security upgrade plan, Senior Superintendent of Police Navniet Sakera told The Indian Express: 8216;8216;There was no foolproof security at the temple although there was regular frisking of pilgrims.8217;8217;

Soon after the attack today, the NSG was put on alert and be ready to leave at 8216;8216;very short notice8217;8217; of receiving any order.

Meanwhile, security agencies are looking closely at the details emerging from investigations into the blast at Ahmedabad railway station on February 18 and exploring the possibility of any links with the Varanasi blasts. The Ahmedabad blast was actually meant to go off on a train8212;and in Mumbai, the police say. No arrests have been made yet but investigators say the conspiracy was hatched in Mumbai.

According to investigators, the bomb contained RDX with a detonator and an electronic timing device. They say it was meant to go off at 2 in the afternoon but went off at around 1.45 in the morning because whoever planted it set the 24-hour timer at 02.00 hours instead of 14.00.

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Investigators say that had the plan succeeded the bomb would have gone off on board the Karnavati Express at Mumbai Central at a busy hour.

The daily train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai is usually packed with businessmen.

What happened instead, the police say, was that the Karnavati Express on which the bomb was planted in the SC-1 carriage left Mumbai at 1:30 pm and travelled all the way to Ahmedabad without an explosion taking place.

When it reached Ahmedabad station at 9:30 pm, some cleaners and vendors who got on after the passengers had disembarked and found the unattended briefcase containing the bomb. Soon after the train was taken away to the yard, the bomb went off on platform No 2, shattering the asbestos-cement roofing and twisting the girder near which it was left.

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Since it was a hour at which no train was on the platform, there was no death. But one vendor at a kiosk on the platform was seriously injured.