HC summons Collectors on matters pertaining to ensuring participation of Scheduled Caste people in temple festivals
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday summoned Karur and Pudukkottai Collectors to appear before the court while hearing matters that sought directions to the authorities concerned to ensure the participation of Scheduled Caste people at temple festivals in the two districts.
A Division Bench of Justices P. Velmurugan and K.K. Ramakrishnan directed Karur Collector, Inspector General of Police (Central Zone), Karur Superintendent of Police and other officials to be present before the court while hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by P. Ramesh of Nerur North in Manmangalam in Karur district.
The petitioner said that the Vaikasi festival at Aravayee Amman Temple was scheduled to be held from May 21 to May 23. He said that for the past 15 years the temple car was not entering the area of the Scheduled Caste people, even after representations were made to the authorities in this regard.
He sought a direction to the authorities to resolve the issue between the Scheduled Caste people and people belonging to a dominant intermediate Caste and take appropriate action to bring Aravayee Amman Temple car to the area of the Scheduled Caste people for the festival. The court posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.
A mention was made before the court with regard to the clashes reported between the Scheduled Caste people and people belonging to a Most Backward Community in Vadakadu in Pudukkottai district. The petitioner S. Shanmugam of Karambakudi in Pudukkottai district said that a mob of more than 300 people belonging to the Most Backward Community had attacked the Scheduled Caste settlement injuring people and destroying their properties.
He sought a direction to the authorities to ensure that the Scheduled Caste people were allowed to enter the temple and worship at the Mariamman temple in Vadakadu. He also sought a thorough investigation into the incident and adequate compensation be paid to the victims belonging to the Scheduled Caste. The court directed Pudukottai Collector, Inspector General of Police (Central Zone), Pudukkottai Superintendent of Police and other officials to be present before the court.
Another mention was made before the court with regard to permitting the Scheduled Caste people to participate in Bhagavathi Amman temple festival in Porunthalur in Karur district. The petitioner, R. Subramani of Mettupatti in Kulithalai in Karur district, said that the Scheduled Caste people should be permitted to carry Mulaipari and Theechatti processions inside the temple.
He also sought a direction to the authorities to end all forms of caste discrimination including the practices followed in tea and tiffin shops. The court directed Karur Collector, Inspector General of Police (Central Zone), Karur Superintendent of Police and other officials to be present before the court. The court posted the matters for hearing on Thursday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Chhattisgarh Cop Dies, Two Officers Injured In Landmine Blast In Sukma
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. In a recent Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh, ASP Akash Rao Girpunje was killed by a pressure IED while investigating a prior incident. Two other officers were injured but are stable. His death underscores the ongoing dangers in the region, even in safe areas. Bhopal: In one of the most devastating Maoist attacks in recent times, Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Girpunje died and two other senior police officers seriously injured after a pressure IED blast rocked Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today. The blast took place near Dondra village on the Konta-Errabore road, just 2 km from the town of Konta - a route considered so safe that locals often go there for evening walks. But on this day, the path was anything but safe. Official sources said Maoists had set fire to a Poklain machine near NH-30 late Sunday night. ASP Girpunje and his team, including Sub-Divisional Police Officer Bhanupratap Chandrakar and Station House Officer Inspector Sonal Gwala, proceeded to investigate the incident early this morning. Parking their vehicle on the highway, the officers began patrolling on foot. The Maoists had planted a pressure-activated IED just 100 meters inside the trail. As ASP Akash Rao stepped on it, the blast ripped through the area, fatally injuring him and wounding the two others. The officers were rushed to Konta Hospital for urgent medical attention. But Mr Girpunje, 42, who bore the full impact of the explosion, succumbed to his injuries during treatment. His lower body was severely damaged in the blast. SDOP Bhanupratap Chandrakar and Inspector Sonal Gwala were also injured but are now reported to be out of danger. Both officers are being airlifted to a higher medical facility for advanced care. Akash Rao Girpunje was from Raipur district and was a 2013 batch direct recruit officer who had been serving as Additional SP, Konta, since 2024. Known as one of the most committed and courageous officers in the Chhattisgarh Police force, he had earlier served in Left Wing Exttremist-affected areas like Manpur-Mohla and Sukma, leading critical anti-Maoist operations. Under his tenure, more than five security camps were established in highly sensitive areas of Sukma - a feat that had earned him respect among peers and locals alike. Before joining the police force, he had worked as a Probationary Officer in UCO Bank, and cleared the Chhattisgarh Public Service Examination in his very first attempt in 2012. A Daughter Awaits a Father Who Won't Return In an off-camera conversation with NDTV, Akash Rao's grieving father revealed that his granddaughter Pihu's birthday was just two days away. "Akash had promised to come home to celebrate with the family," he said, holding back tears. That promise, like many others of brave men in uniform, will now remain unfulfilled. His remains are being brought to Raipur, where a guard of honour and state funeral will be held. Top officials from Chhattisgarh Police and the government are expected to be present to pay their final respects. In a statement, the Chhattisgarh Government and Police Headquarters said: "We stand united with the family of our martyr Akash Rao Girpunje in this hour of grief. His sacrifice will further strengthen our resolve to destroy an inhuman and conspiratorial outfit like the CPI (Maoist)." Monday's attack is a grim reminder that even seemingly safe zones in Bastar are still vulnerable to sudden, calculated Maoist strikes. The proximity of the blast site - barely 1 km from a CRPF camp - highlights the sophistication of the ambush.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Honeymoon-murder mystery: Missing wife of dead Indore man arrested in UP for planning his killing
Ghazipur (UP)/Indore/Shillong, June 9 (UNI) A honeymoon-turned chilling murder turned even more sensational as Sonam Raghuvanshi, the missing wife of an Indore-based transport businessman, was arrested in Uttar Pradesh for having hired professional killers to finish off her husband, police said on Monday. A week after Raja Raghuvanshi's decomposed body was found in the jungles of Meghalaya, Sonam turned up distraught in a dhaba located in the Nandganj area of Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh. She reached the dhaba at around 2:30 am and took a mobile phone from the dhaba owner and called her brother Govind, UP police said. Govind then informed his acquaintance in Ghazipur. "As soon as the police got the information, a large force, including Superintendent of Police (SP) E Raja, reached the dhaba. Sonam was found in a distraught/unconscious state. At present, she is not in a position to talk. On receiving the information of the incident, Raja's family in Indore left for Ghazipur. On the other hand, Meghalaya Police also left for Ghazipur," said the UP police officer. Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raja Raghuvanshi had gone to Meghalaya for their honeymoon after their marriage on May 11. The couple reached Shillong on May 20 for their honeymoon, and disappeared on May 23 during a sightseeing trip, police said. Raja's body was found in the jungles of Meghalaya after a lot of searching on June 2. However, since then, Sonam had been missing. On Monday, she was found in Uttar Pradesh, over a thousand kilometres away from the crime scene. Meghalaya Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang claimed Sonam had hired professional killers to murder her husband during the couple's honeymoon in the north eastern state. The plot came to light, when police zeroed in on local guides of Shillong who told them that on May 23 three other people were also seen with Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi when they had gone sightseeing. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took to social media on Monday morning and said that the state police achieved a major success in the Raja murder case after seven days. "Three suspects from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested. A woman has surrendered. The search is on for one more suspect," he said. The Meghalaya police have already nabbed three of the professional killers allegedly hired by Sonam. A Meghalaya Police official told UNI that Sonam had given herself up before police at Nandganj Police Station of Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday night The three other murder suspects - two from Indore in Madhya Pradesh and one from Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh - were arrested by the Special Investigation Team of Meghalaya Police based on circumstantial evidence related to the cold-blooded murder of Raja. Hunt is on to nab one more accused, police said. Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, said at a press conference today, that those arrested include 19-year-old Akash Rajput, from Lalitpur, Vishal Singh Chauhan, age 22 years, from Indore, and Raj Singh Kushwaha, age 21 years, from Indore. He said the three arrested men and Sonam committed the crime on May 23 and left soon after. He said Meghalaya formed a Special Investigation Team and in a week's time, the SIT accumulated substantial evidence and zeroed down on the culprits. 'All these days, Sonam and others were underground, and yesterday, when our operation (of arresting the three men) started, suddenly she surfaced..." 'All four accused would be produced before the courts for a transit remand to the state (Meghalaya) for further investigation into the cold-blooded murder,' a police official said. All the accused are being grilled for further details, including the motive, how the crime was committed, and other details concerning the case. A case of murder is being registered. The couple had checked in at Shipara Homestay at Nongriat village - home to the famed living double decker root bridge on May 22. Raja and Sonam checked out of their homestay early in the morning. Albert Pde, a tour guide, said that he had seen the couple midway through the trek, returning from Nongriat, were accompanied by three other male tourists. 'Raja was walking with the three men, while Sonam was walking slowly behind them,' Pde had said. The missing of the couple came to light when a two-wheeler which they had hired was found abandoned on May 24 at Sohrarim village between Shillong and Sohra road. On June 2, Meghalaya Police retrieved the decomposed body of Raja from a deep gorge below the Wei Sawdong parking lot at Riat Arliang in Sohra. On June 4, Meghalaya Police recovered a raincoat stained with what looked like blood from a gorge at AD View Point at Mawkma village. The cops also recovered a machete believed to be the murder weapon from the crime scene. Investigators said all material evidence recovered from the crime scene would be sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Hyderabad for further analysis. Meanwhile, Sonam's father has denied the police allegations and reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry into the case. Devi Singh Raghuvanshi, while speaking to the media, said his daughter Sonam has no role in the Raja's murder. "She is innocent. Their marriage took place with mutual consent of the two families," he said. UNI TEAM RN SSP
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
Chhattisgarh CM pays tribute to ASP Akash Rao Giripunje killed in Sukma naxal IED blast
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 9 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai visited the residence of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akash Rao Giripunje in Raipur on Monday to meet his family members. ASP Giripunje lost his life in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast triggered by Naxalites in Konta, Sukma district, earlier today. The mortal remains of the officer were brought to his residence in Raipur, where CM Sai expressed his condolences. Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said, 'ASP Akash Rao Giripunje made the supreme sacrifice in an IED blast in Sukma's Konta. We salute his bravery and are here to honour him. The state government stands firmly with his family.' Condemning the attack, CM Sai added, 'Naxalism is on its last legs, and in their desperation, Naxalites are resorting to such cowardly acts.' IG Sundarraj, in his statement, said that some other officers and jawans were injured due to the IED blast. 'A pressure IED blast near Dondra on Konta-Errabora road; ASP Konta Division, District Sukma, Akash Rao Giripunje sustains serious injuries. Some other officers and jawans have also been injured in this pressure IED blast', IG Sundarraj said in his statement. According to IG, ASP Giripunje was on foot patrol duty to prevent any Naxalite incident, given the call by CPI (M) for Bharat Bandh on June Sundarraj also mentioned that all the injured are being treated at the Konta Hospital. Meanwhile, ASP Giripunje's condition is critical. Efforts are being made to shift him to a higher medical centre soon for better treatment. 'ASP Akash Rao Giripunje was on foot patrol duty in the area to prevent any kind of Naxalite incident in view of the call for Bharat Bandh on 10 June by CPI(M). All the injured are being treated at Konta Hospital. Among the injured, the condition of ASP Akash Rao is very serious and critical. The other injured are currently out of danger. Efforts are on to shift Additional SP Akash Rao to a higher medical centre soon for better treatment', IG Sundarraj added. (ANI)
