Albeit the people, especially the pilgrims visiting the Holy Cave Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, staunchly believe that the security Bandobast in this revered religious destination is fool-proof, the recent incident of a woman carrying a loaded weapon up to Bhawan area has raised many questions about the reliability of the security of this place. Such occurrences cast serious doubts on the efficiency of the multi-layered security apparatus put in place to safeguard the sanctity and safety of this sacred shrine, which witnesses an enormous footfall of devotees round the year.
Reportedly, a woman pilgrim from Delhi was arrested after a loaded pistol was recovered from her possession at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. The lady, who claimed to be a retired police constable, was intercepted with the weapon and six rounds at a checkpoint near the ‘Bhawan’ (sanctum sanctorum) on the intervening night of March 14-15. This shocking revelation exposes the glaring vulnerabilities in the security mechanism because there are multiple check posts before this final checkpoint, where devotees are subjected to thorough screening, leaving no scope for anyone to carry a weapon right up to the Bhawan area. The very fact that this woman managed to slip through all these checkpoints undetected is alarming and raises serious concerns about the efficiency of security measures in place.
Surprisingly, in a similar case, a pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh was booked after two cartridges were found in his bag near the Bhawan. This is an extremely serious issue highlighting major loopholes in the current checking SOPs because, under normal circumstances, both of these pilgrims should have been caught at the very first check Naka. Recovering firearms and ammunition is the first and foremost priority of the security personnel deputed for checking the devotees, and if this was not done effectively, then the very purpose of establishing multiple Nakas en route to the holy cave shrine stands defeated. It is imperative to introspect and take corrective measures before any untoward incident takes place.
Of course, the security personnel deployed at the Bhawan deserve appreciation for their alertness and diligence in detecting these cases at the final checkpoint, but what remains worrisome is the laxity displayed at the previous Nakas, where these dangerous items should have been detected in the first place. The concerned cops at these checkpoints must be held accountable for their failure to prevent the entry of banned objects beyond their jurisdiction. Had the accused individuals harbored any nefarious intentions, the complacency shown by the security forces at these crucial junctures would have provided them ample opportunity to execute their malicious plans.
These incidents must be taken with utmost seriousness, and those responsible for the security of this revered shrine must immediately revamp and upgrade the SOPs to plug such loopholes. Any negligence in this regard could prove disastrous in the future, as anti-national or anti-social elements might attempt to exploit these glaring security gaps. A foolproof security mechanism is the need of the hour to uphold the sanctity and safety of this sacred shrine.
