Devotees throng the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu on the eve of New Year Saturday. Devotees, including children, from different parts of the country were seen chanting ‘Jai Mata Di’ and climbing up and down the hill amidst the bitter cold. Some devotees also shared their experiences and mentioned how visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Temple every New Year’s Eve gives them a sense of blessings.
The J&K Police had inspected the temple premises earlier this month. Deputy Inspector General of Udhampur-Reasi range Mohammad Suleman Chowdhury held a meeting to discuss the security situation. The meeting was attended by Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi Amit Gupta, CRPF Commandant and Superintendent of Police, Katra.
“The temple is all set to cater to the huge rush of devotees around New Year. A strategy has been drawn up to ensure smooth regulation of the expected inflow of pilgrims, especially in Bhawan area to decongest the entire track and dedicated CCTV All the time surveillance through a network of over 500 cameras,” a Shrine Board official had said earlier.
Stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple
The security arrangements are being reviewed in the backdrop of the death of people in the stampede at Vaishno Devi temple on January 1 this year. Twelve pilgrims lost their lives and 16 were injured in the stampede, prompting the Shrine Board to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for the convenience of pilgrims.
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