By IANS,
Hyderabad : Work for installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the historic Mecca Masjid, where nine people were killed in a blast during Friday prayers last year, has resumed after being stopped due to objections from devotees.
Police and officials of the minority welfare department, which looks after the 17th century mosque, have resumed the work, which was stopped a few weeks ago due to objections from worshippers.
The CCTV cameras will help police in keeping a vigil on the movement of people in and around the mosque. The work was resumed after the authorities took Muslim political party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) into confidence.
The work had created a row with some people fearing that the recordings could be used to harass innocent youths. The authorities convinced them that the measure was in the larger interest of ensuring security at the mosque.
The Mecca Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in the country, was rocked by a bomb blast during Friday prayers on May 18 last year. Nine people were killed in the blast while five more died in the subsequent police firing on protestors near the mosque.
The blast was followed by twin explosions at a park and an eatery here on Aug 25, 2007, killing 44 people. It was the worst terror attack in the city’s history.
The police have blamed terror groups based in Pakistan and Bangladesh for the blasts.
After the blast, the authorities had put in place tight security measures at the mosque, which is a located a few metres from the Charminar, and attracts hundreds of tourists every day. As part of security measures, metal detectors were installed at the entrances.
The minority welfare department has sanctioned Rs.3 million for installing CCTVs in the mosque.
Since the mosque has witnessed violent protests, especially after Friday prayers on several occasions in the past, the police officials hope that CCTVs would also help them keep an eye on miscreants.
The authorities have also installed cameras around the Charminar and at other sensitive places in the old city of Hyderabad to keep an eye on the movement of the people and also to ensure smooth flow of traffic.