NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 1, 2007: The ban on carrying coconuts inside Mumbai’s famed Siddhivinayaka temple has been lifted. However, one can now expect the police to screen the coconuts at the temple entrance. Maharashtra Home Minister R. R .Patil announced on Thursday that the ban, imposed a few days ago because of security reasons, has been lifted. Devotees can carry coconuts as offerings to Lord Ganesha, but the coconuts will be manually checked before being let in. The ban on offerings of flower garlands too has been lifted in the temple. Frisking machines, however, are going to be installed as a precautionary measure.
On Wednesday, the management of the temple decided to install jammers at the shrine due to an increase in threat perception. The people, who are now frisked and have their baggage put through scanners, will be under watch via closed circuit cameras, Siddhivinayaka Temple Trust chairman, Subash Mayekar said. A senior police official says, “There has been some increase in the threat perception, due to which we recommend that the temple management should increase security.” The temple, which is visited by large numbers of people and VIPs and celebrities, has been on the hit list of Muslim terrorists, police said. It has a bullet-proof fortified wall around it with only one entry point for devotees.