In a recent incident unfolding within the sacred premises of Thiruvannamalai temple, an assault on a female inspector has instilled fear among the common public.
The unsettling incident took place during the ‘Arudra darshan’ ceremony at the Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwarar Temple on December 27, attracting a multitude of devotees seeking the divine darshan of Lord Shiva. Among the worshippers was I. Sreedharan, a prominent DMK functionary from the area, accompanied by his wife, Sivasankari, and their family.
Following the worship of principal deity, Sreedharan and his family proceeded to worship at the shrine of Unnammulaiyamman and stood stood for an extended period.
Highly disturbed by this few devotees standing in the long queue have raised complaint to the female inspector Gandhimathi who was engaged in guard duty.
Subsequently, Inspector Gandhimathi had requested Sreedharan and his wife Sivashankari to step aside without causing disturbance to other devotees.
Agitated by this, Sreedharan said, “Do you know who I am? … I’m a prominent figure of DMK. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Annamalaiyar Temple Jeevanandam is my brother. We own the temple management. Are you telling us to step aside?”.
He threatened her in a disrespecting manner asserted his political prominence within the DMK and his familial connection. Sreedharan’s wife also glared angrily and jumped at the inspector.
Undeterred, Inspector Gandhimathi firmly responded, stating “Whoever you are, speak respectfully and give way to waiting devotees”.
In a shocking turn of events, enraged Sreedharan slapped Inspector Gandhimathi’s cheek in full view of the devotees. The devotees who stood there were shocked by this incident.
Inspector Gandhimathi registered a formal complaint regarding the incident with the Thiruvannamalai city police and an investigation is been initiated against Sreedharan, a member of DMK’s executive committee, his wife Sivasankari and the temple employee Ramesh who was an accomplice in their act. It has been reported that a case has been registered under four sections including preventing work, assault and violence.
Adding to the controversy, there are allegations that certain high-ranking police officers intentionally destroyed CCTV footage capturing the incident, purportedly to favor DMK leader Sreedharan.
Furthermore, at the time of the incident, some devotees recorded videos on their mobile phones, but they faced threats from temple dignitaries who seized their phones and deleted the recorded videos allegedly. This unfolding incident has left the community in dismay.
Regarding the issue, Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai has also strongly condemned, tweeted on X “Ever since the DMK came to power, law and order has broken down across Tamil Nadu and criminal activities have been going on continuously. Government officials are being killed by sand robbers, police officers are being threatened by DMK and policewomen are being sexually harassed, the machinery of the government has completely broken down.“
He further said “In this situation, the news that DMK state executive committee member Sreedharan has slapped a woman police inspector on the cheek who was on security duty in Thiruvannamalai temple, shows how low the dignity of the police has been under the DMK regime. If a woman police officer can be assaulted in front of the public with the arrogance of being a DMK party member, what is the position of the common people?“
Slamming the DMK, Annamalai said “Has the DMK forgotten that it was unable to come to power for ten consecutive years due to the atrocities committed during its 2006-2011 regime? Public patience has a limit. Don’t forget that DMK will have no place even on the streets if the common people take the law into their hands like the DMK thugs. I urge Chief Minister Stalin to immediately arrest and take strict action against a DMK person named Sreedharan who assaulted a female police officer and to immediately sack his brother Jeevanandham who is the chairman of the Tiruvannamalai Temple Trustee Committee“
திமுக ஆட்சிக்கு வந்ததில் இருந்தே, தமிழகம் முழுவதும் சட்டம் ஒழுங்கு சீர்குலைந்து, குற்றச் செயல்கள் தொடர்ச்சியாக நடந்து கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. அரசு அதிகாரிகளே மணல் கொள்ளையர்களால் கொலை செய்யப்படுவதும், திமுகவினரால், காவல்துறை அதிகாரிகள் மிரட்டப்படுவதும், பெண் காவலர்கள் பாலியல்… pic.twitter.com/t5e7fYawyw
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 29, 2023
(With inputs from Asianet Tamil)
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