CRPF chief reviews security of Kashi shrine

Days after conducting a review of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, CRPF Director General GP Singh conducted an in-depth assessment of the security grid at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on May 20.

During his visit to the temple, Singh chaired a high-level meeting with Varanasi police officers and office-bearers of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, where he is learnt to have underlined the need for seamless inter-agency synergy to address evolving security challenges with precision, sources aware of the development said.

The CRPF chief’s Varanasi visit came just two days after he had visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on May 18. There too he had conducted a security assessment review of the temple and had held discussions with the authorities to ensure seamless coordination for safeguarding the spiritually significant site.

Though sources had described Singh’s Ayodhya visit as “routine”, The Tribune had reported on May 19 that the Centre has launched a high-level security review of important monuments and facilities across the country, following intel received after the Pahalgam attack that Pakistan-based terror outfits may target religious sites, primarily the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as a retaliatory measure after Operation Sindoor.

Sources had further informed that apart from the Ram Temple, these outfits may also target the RSS headquarters at Nagpur. The ministry thus plans to conduct a security review of not only temples and religious sites, but also of other installations like dams, important offices and power stations in the coming days.

Sources further said though the hostilities had paused on May 10 after the announcement of the ceasefire, the threat perception remained high for key religious sites and structures such as power stations and hydel projects.

They said the RSS headquarters, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Mathura’s Banke Bihari Temple were also likely to come under the security assessment purview.

India