Temple sealed over ban on entry of Dalits

S. Prasad

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Thursday, 8th June 2023
Page No. 3
Chennai Print Edition
SUPPLEMENTMain Edition

Revenue Department officials sealed the Dharmaraja Droupadi Amman temple at Melpathi village in Villupuram district on Wednesday in view of the prevailing tension over caste Hindus barring the entry of Adi Dravidars into the temple.

Villupuram Revenue Divisional Officer S. Ravichandran sealed the temple under Section 145 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to prevent any law and order problems.

A section of the temple administration and the village residents has continued to discriminate against Adi Dravidars, preventing them from entering the temple.

An official said the action was taken after many rounds of peace talks between caste Hindus and Adi Dravidars failed to break the impasse.

The temple has been under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department for the last 45 years.

The department had on April 12 this year appointed a Temple Thakkar (Fit Person).

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