VILLUPURAM: Tension prevailed at Thiruvamathur village following a dispute between two communities over offering worship at a temple.
According to sources, people belonging to Mudaliar community had constructed Uthukattu Renugai Mariamman temple near Pambai river in the village decades ago.
For years, Mudaliars and Vanniyars were jointly organising festivals.
In 2017, trouble began when Mudaliars planned to conduct a festival alone, which Vanniyars opposed. A meeting was held under the then Vikravandi tahsildar and people were told to organise the festival together.
In 2018, trouble started again and it was resolved at a peace-keeping meeting. Mudaliars were told to conduct a festival in the Tamil month of Vaigasi and Vanniars, in Aadi. Accordingly, Mudaliars organised a festival in Vaigasi this year but refused to give the temple key to Vanniyars in Aadi.
Vanniyars complained about this to the Collector and a meeting was held under Villupuram revenue divisional officer Kumaravel. He ordered that Vanniyars be given the key and it should be handed over to the tahsildar after the festival.
A few days ago, Mudaliars took the key from the tahsildar for maintenance work at the temple. On Sunday, when some Vanniyars went to the temple, Mudaliars refused to give them the key saying their community had constructed the temple and they alone have the rights to manage it.
This irked Vanniyars, who locked up the temple gate using another lock.
Following tension, police told them to contact the revenue department officials. Security was stepped up in the village. Mudaliars told Express that their community people had constructed the temple for themselves and Vanniyars were creating an issue.
Vanniyars said the trouble began only when Mudaliars alone wanted to organise festivals and manage the temple.
Vanniyars wanted the temple to be brought under the control of Hindu religious and charitable endowment department. Revenue department sources said a peacekeeping meeting has been planned.
Bone of contention
While Mudaliars and Vanniyars have been jointly organising festivals, trouble began in 2017 when Mudaliars wanted to conduct a festival alone