A man sets up a CCTV camera on the premises of Sukreswar temple and Janardan temple on Thursday. Telegraph picture

Feb. 14: From now on, devotees at Sukreswar temple and Janardan temple will not only be under the benevolent eyes of God but also watched by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Temple authorities began installing the cameras today. A control room has been set up from where devotees will be constantly monitored through eight CCTV cameras.

The cameras will be rigged near the front gate, on the temple premises, inside the Sukreswar temple and Janardan temple and the bathing ghat. An LCD projector has been installed in the control room to view the footage 24 hours a day.

A devotee, who, according to temple authorities did not wish to be named, has donated the cameras.

“The cameras have been donated by a devotee to ensure security on the temple premises. The devotee often visits the temple but he requested us not to disclose his name,” an official of Sukreswar Devalaya Management Committee told The Telegraph.

A camera can clearly capture visuals up to 50 metres, which can be stored for 15 days. The cameras are equipped with night vision to record visuals round the clock.

Situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra, Sukreswar temple is an ancient temple of Shiva while Vishnu is worshipped at Janardan temple. Around 1,000 devotees visit the two temples on an average daily but the numbers swell to 5,000 on Mondays as devotees come to worship Shiva.

“The cameras will help us maintain security during the month of Shravan, Shiva Ratri and Bishnu Jagya, during which thousands of people converge here from across the country,” a temple official said.

“The cameras will help us keep watch on the valuables, including gold and silver ornaments inside the temple premises and prevent incidents of theft. It will help us a lot because many temples in the city have been robbed,” he said.

A camera has also been installed to keep watch on the riverbank behind the temples, where devotees take a dip before performing puja. “Last year a boy drowned in the river while taking a dip,” he said.

City police have already put up a CCTV camera in front of the temple gate.

The cameras assume significance because criminals have robbed ornaments and utensils in the Ganesh temple at Ganeshguri and many naamghars.

The police had requested all temple authorities to install CCTV cameras to prevent criminal activities after the theft in Ganesh temple.

Kamakhya temple has already installed CCTV cameras for security reasons.