Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) has sought an explanation from a private security agency, which is responsible for the internal security of Mahabodhi Temple where serial bomb blasts took place last Sunday. An official of the BTMC told The Pioneer that the private security agency, Patna based Cobra Sentinel has been asked to reply to its showcause notice within three days, explaining how the serial blasts took place when it is entrusted with the task of providing internal security to the temple.
The lathi wielding private security guards are deputed for the internal security of the temple in two shifts, each shift comprising 16 security guards. While the first shift runs from 5 am to 1 pm, another shift timings are from 1 pm to 9 pm.
Though according to the MOU between the BTMC and the private security agency, guards have to provide security round the clock duty but they reportedly remain off the duty during the night hours.
A field officer of Cobra Sentinel, lalan Mishra said that his company was entrusted with the task of ensuring internal security of the temple in 2009 but the company’s security guards have never been deployed for the duty during the night hours. Further investigation was on in this regard. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde who visited the blast sites at Bodh Gaya on Tuesday had said that the bombs had exploded from 5 am to 6 am. while bombs were kept inside the premises of the temple presumably in the night.