Meenakshi temple to ban mobile phones from March 3 over security

The move was made after the Madras high court’s Madurai bench had banned people other than security officials from carrying cellphones to the temple

The ban on devotees carrying mobile phones inside the famous Goddess Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai will come into effect from March 3, officials said Tuesday.

Meenakshi temple in Madurai. Early this month, several shops around the temple were gutted in fire. (HT File Photo)

A release from the temple administration said the ban was being enforced in line with the recent order of the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench and in the interest of the security of the ancient shrine.

A bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and R Tharani had on February 9 banned people other than security officials from carrying mobile phones to the temple where a fire mishap gutted several shops recently.

It had also suggested deployment of CISF personnel to maintain security at the temple.

The order was issued on a PIL seeking to direct the central and state governments to frame guidelines and safety and security code and implement these immediately in the backdrop of the fire mishap.