After the local people and devotees raised a hue and cry over the visit of a goon (da) a few days ago to the now famed Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple of the 16th century in Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala, police introduced new rules at the temple to ensure proper security to the premises.

One Mr Om Prakash, a well known local rowdy who was linked to the murder case of Paul Muthoot and several other crimes in the Thiruvananthapuram, recently visited the temple through the entrance used by the temple authorities.

Witnesses said that the criminal visited the temple and had darshan of the gods and goddesses with the help of the senior temple authorities. “Temple officials brought him inside along with them through the special way for ensuring him darshan forcing us to keep quiet,” said a senior police official.

Additional Director General of Police, Venugopal K. Nair, who is now overseeing the security of the temple, told journalists that Om Prakash was a regular visitor to the temple for the last several years and had known many senior officials of the temple. He must have used his contacts there, he said.

He however said that they have imposed restrictions on the entry of regular devotees to the temple now and no one would be allowed to use the special way, used by the temple authorities, to have darshan henceforth.

“We have to ensure that normal devotees are not put to trouble while taking steps to avoid misuse of special facilities if any,” he said.