Jammu: Raghunath temple, which was attacked by militants on November 24, will be re-opened to devotees tomorrow (Nov 27) after a purification ceremony is performed, temple chief priest Vishal Shastry said.

"I called a meeting of all the scholars of Jammu today. The meeting felt that a purification 'yagna' be performed in the temple from 10:00 am on November 27 and it will be over in four to five hours. After that, the temple will be re-opened for devotees and puja-path (regular activities) will start as per tradition," he said.

Shastry favoured arms being given to temple security staff and formation of a temple defence committee on the lines of village defence committees scheme in Kashmir.

"Our security staff do not have any arms. They carry only a stick. If they are given arms, they can provide better security from inside. If they had arms, it wouldn't have been possible for the militants to enter into the main temple in the latest attack," he said.

"Even when the temple was attacked earlier, we made the request that temple defence committees be formed on the lines of village defence committees," Shastry added.

PTI