A protest erupted in Periyakulam over a non-vegetarian Kandhuri feast being organized at a dargah located near the historic Perumal (Venkatachalapathy) temple in Thamaraikulam. Members of the Hindu Munnani and the BJP objected to the event, leading to a confrontation with the police and the arrest of 43 individuals.
The Venkatachalapathy temple, situated on a hill in Thamaraikulam, has been under the management of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department for many years. Recently, local Muslims planned to conduct the traditional Kandhuri celebration which includes a non-vegetarian feast at a nearby dargah. This decision drew opposition from Hindu Munnani District President Murugan, BJP District President Rajapandian, District Secretaries Umairajan and Vishnu Priyan, and Union Organizer Dharmarajan.
As a form of protest, the demonstrators assembled near the VOC statue in Thamaraikulam, wearing black blindfolds, and requested police permission to conduct a demonstration. However, permission was denied. The group then moved toward the temple to seek darshan, where only a few were allowed entry by the limited police presence. This led to heated exchanges between the protestors and the police.
The situation escalated, and tensions briefly flared before the police detained 43 individuals, including key district leaders from the Hindu Munnani and BJP. Following the incident, the organizers at the dargah reportedly modified their plans and served a vegetarian meal instead of the traditional non-vegetarian offering.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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