PUNE, July 20, 2013: Important people visiting the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple will have to stand in the queue along with other devotees for darshan, as the Pune police have asked the temple authorities to stop the separate entry system.

The temple has been on the radar of terror organizations with the police receiving inputs from different intelligence agencies. Operatives of terror organisation Indian Mujahideen (IM) had attempted to plant a bag containing a bomb in the Dagdusheth Halwai temple on the same day as the German Bakery on February 13, 2010.

Recently, on July 12, a 25-year-old youth had made false claims of rejecting an offer from two Pakistani nationals to plant a bag containing a bomb in the temple.

A statement issued by the deputy commissioner of police (zone-I) Makarand Ranade stated that the police have also imposed a ban on carrying bags inside the temple. The statement added that police bandobast had been stepped up outside the temple. Police are keeping a watch on private security guards appointed by the temple authorities for security of the temple.

Restaurant staff fails to report abandoned bag

For the second time in two months, staff at a restaurant located on Fergusson College Road failed act responsibly to an unclaimed bag. On Friday evening, some policemen attached to the Deccan Gymkhana police station entered the restaurant and left a bag behind. A waiter noticed the abandoned bag and took it to the person at the cash counter. When no one claimed the bag, the person at the counter gave it to the security guard at the entrance.

Policemen in the restaurant noticed the careless behaviour of the manager and the waiter and took them to the police station. Senior inspector of the Deccan Gymkhana police station Manohar Joshi said this was the second time in the last two months that the restaurant's employees had failed to inform the police about the abandoned bag.

"Two months ago, when a similar drill was done, we had informed them that they should immediately vacate the restaurant after noticing any abandoned bag and inform the police," Joshi said. He said he has warned the manager and the waiter about their carelessness.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 20, 2013.