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JAMMU, INDIA, November 26, 2002: The Dharmarth trust, which controls most temples in Jammu and Kashmir including the Raghunath Temple, has decided to provide arms training to priests and supply them licensed weapons to protect themselves from militant attacks. “We conveyed our decision to Union Minister of State for Home, I. D. Swami, who visited the Raghunath Temple this morning,” Thakur Diwakar Singh, president of the trust said. “The last time the temple was attacked, we spent over US$10,000 building grills and beefing up security. The only thing left to do is to arm the priests,” he added. The final toll of Sunday’s attack left 13 dead and 52 seriously injured, including five priests. All the 45 priests at the Raghunath Temple have reportedly expressed their willingness to get arms training. “In the current situation, it’s not possible to function without guns,” said Ashok Sharma, one of the oldest priests at the temple. Ajatshatru Singh, former minister and a patron of the trust, said a separate demand for protection of temples in the Valley has also been sent to New Delhi. The list includes the Sankaracharya Temple in Srinagar, Ram Temple, Khirbhawani, Sathu Temple and the Amarnath Shrine.

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