Cops on duty at Kashi Vishwanath temple’s sanctum sanctorum wear dhotis, kurtas | Hindustan Times

In a first, police personnel deployed for crowd control duty in the sanctum sanctorum of the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi have started wearing dhotis kurtas from Monday in deference to worshippers’ sentiments.

The new dress code — yellow kurta and dhoti for male cops and white salwar and blue kurta for policewomen — has been implemented following a persistent demand by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Trust which runs the temple, one of Hinduisms holiest places.

The trust had objections to police personnel in uniform because a leather belt was also a part of it.

“The new dress code will not be effective on police personnel deployed on the premises (outside sanctum sanctorum) of the temple,” said Shailendra Kumar Rai, superintendent of police (security).

Rai said 18 constables have been provided with the new uniform.

“They will manage the crowds of devotees around sanctum sanctorum in six-hour rotation duty,” said the SP.

Trustee Pt Prasad Dixit said, “Trust members had raised the issue of implementing dress code several times before the administrative and police officials. Eventually, it has been implemented and we welcome it.”

Locals too have welcomed the decision. “In baba’s durbar, everyone should be in traditional style, be it a cop, devotee, or anybody else,” said Mahesh Yadav, a Shiva devotee residing near Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

The temple is situated in a high-security zone. Armed policemen on security duty outside the sanctum sanctorum will not come under the new dress code.