TENKASI: Assistant commissioner of Thirukutralanathaswamy temple in Courtallam has sent a complaint to the idol wing police demanding action against the town panchayat staff for allegedly smuggling 400-year-old antiques from the temple's stone hall.
In his complaint dated July 27, M Kannathasan said the smuggled antiques included valuable copper, brass and bronze vessels. "Chokkampatti zamin was administering the performance of pujas in the temple 500 years ago. For this purpose, the valuable vessels were kept in the 'kattalai' hall of the temple. The temple was administering the hall from the beginning. However, the administration was later handed to a committee of the district administration.
Now, it is administered by Courtallam town panchayat administration. There is a case pending before the court. The lower courts pronounced a judgement in favour of temple administration. However, the panchayat administration refused to hand over the hall to the temple. The temple administration approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which pronounced the order in favour of them.
A video, where the town panchayat staff could be seen smuggling the vessels from the hall through tractors, has gone viral in social media. I request the police to recover the vessels from the town panchayat administration," he demanded in his complaint.
Sushma, executive Officer of Courtallam town panchayat told TNIE that the vessels were auctioned by the panchayat administration for around `1 lakh before she got the posting to Courtallam. Sources said the viral video was shot two months ago.