In the wake of Mumbai’s Pakistan sponsored Islamic terror attacks that took place through sea route, security at Gujarat’s Somnath Mahadev temple has been stepped up.

District police chief on Friday night visited the Somnath temple to take . 12 black cat commando are now deployed to protect the temple. Two companies of SRP have been deployed. Barricades have also been put up on roads leading to the temple premises. 15 metal detectors are set up in and outside of the temple. To ensure the safety of the temple, an officer of the rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police has been posted with immediate effect to monitor the security arrangements round the clock. One committed speed boat has been allocated for better security. The boat is used by Police, Custom and Coastguard patrolling jointly. Earlier police had to hire fishing boats for patrolling.

Police also carried out combing operation in some areas(Bhoivada, Pathanvada) near the temple.

Veraval Marine police station has Somnath to Mangrol sea coast area under it’s jurisdiction. However total strength of cops is only 24 including officers.

Through sources, it has been learnt that soon commandos deployed at Somnath will be armed with modern INSAS rifles which can fire 600 rounds in a minute.

It should be noted that Somnath temple is located just on the sea shore. Gujarat is a border state to Pakistan, a country that harbors various Islamic terrorist groups on it’s land. Somnath temple had been targeted by Islamic invaders several times in medieval era. Every time it was demolished, Hindu rulers later on rebuilt it. The temple was lastly rebuilt by India’s iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in late 1940s of last century.