KARUR: Acting on court orders, the HR&CE department-administered Mariamman temple at Chinnadharapuram in the district was reopened for public worship amid tight police security on Friday evening. The temple was closed in 2018 following a caste clash.
The temple, which has been under the HR&CE department since 1973, had members of various communities participate in pujas and other rituals until 2018 when SC and MBC members involved in an alleged clash. With both groups approaching the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC, the temple remained closed since then. During the hearing on July 15, the court instructed HR&CE officials to take steps to resume worship at the temple and to display a notice board announcing that all communities are allowed to offer prayers. As per the direction, officials placed the notice board in front of the temple on Thursday. Learning this, a group of MBC members assembled in front of the temple the same day and removed the notice board.
Despite official talks, the MBC community opposed the temple’s reopening, stating that the issue was pending before court. The HR&CE officials then lodged a complaint against them with the Chinnatharapuram police, who then registered a case. On Friday evening, a team of officials led by HR&CE Assistant Commissioner M Ramanikandan opened the temple following which members of both the MBC and SC communities entered inside and offered prayers.