Madurai, Oct 26 (UNI) A Special Police Team has been constituted to ascertain the exact number of idols and other artefacts in historic temples and study the security arrangements required to check idol thefts in Tamil Nadu, Inspector General of Police (Idol Theft Prevention Wing) M K Jha has said.

Disclosing this to newspersons here last night after chairing a review meeting of temple officers of the Southern districts, he said the team would visit temples and make an on-the-spot study, before submitting its report. Based on the report, the police would take all necessary steps to prevent idol thefts by upgrading security arrangements.

Mr Jha said the Temple Security Force, formed during the previous AIADMK regime comprising ex-service men and old policemen, would be replaced with youngsters. Local people would also accompany the police patrol party guarding the temples.

He suggested that burglar alarm system should be fitted in each temple to prevent such crimes. Besides, each and every individual, who possessed precious idols and artefacts in their houses, should register it.

The details could also be registered with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for records.

To a query, he said that last year alone, 60 idols were stolen from various temples in the State and the police have arrested 50 people in this connection.

UNI