Temple administration disputes resolved via civil suit; writ court directs peace committee for peaceful festival with police protection.

THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI K.Kuppusamy ... Petitioner Vs.

1. The Superintendent of Police, Karur District.

2. The Inspector of Police, Sinthamanipatti Police Station, Karur District.

3. Rajendran

4. The Tahsildar, Kadavur Taluk, Karur District. ... Respondents (R4 is suo motu impleaded vide order of this Court dated 22.04.2026 passed in this petition.)

PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 and 2 to provide adequate police protection for the peaceful conduct of the temple festival and to do Poojas at Arulmigu Shri Pattatharasi Amman, Shri Madurai Veeran, Shri Karuppasamy Temple at Karichipatti, Sinthamanipatti Post, Kadavur Taluk, Karur District, from 24.05.2026 to 28.05.2026.

For Petitioner : Mr.H.Arumugan For Respondents : Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar (R1 & R2)

Government Advocate (Crl.)

Mr.Karthikeya Venkatachalapathy (R3)

Mr.M.Muthumanikkam (R4)

Government Advocate (Civil)

ORDER

This petition has been filed seeking for a direction to the respondents 1 and 2 to provide adequate police protection for the peaceful conduct of the temple festival and to do poojas at Arulmigu Shri Pattatharasi Amman, Shri Madurai Veeran, Shri Karuppasamy Temple at Karichipatti, Sinthamanipatti Post, Kadavur Taluk, Karur District, from 24.05.2026 to 28.05.2026.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the temple, namely Arulmigu Shri Pattatharasi Amman, Shri Madurai Veeran, Shri Karuppasamy Temple, along with 21 other deities, is situated at Karichipatti Village, Sinthamanipatti Post, Kadavur Taluk, Karur District. It was further submitted that the petitioner is the Nattamai of the said village and that the temple was founded by his forefathers, namely the Ponnambala Karai Pangalis. The temple is claimed to exclusively belong to the petitioner’s community and has been in existence from time immemorial. As of now, there are about 400 pangalis in the Ponnambala Karai Pangalis community, and the said deities are the kuladeivam of the group.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submitted that during the year 2025, the third respondent filed a writ petition in W.P.(Crl.) (MD) No. 342 of 2025 seeking police protection for the temple festival. The said petition was disposed of on 24.07.2025, with a direction to the police to provide adequate protection, ensure that no one is prevented from participating in the festival, and to prohibit goat sacrifice. It is further submitted that, with mala fide intention, the third respondent misinterpreted the said order as if he had been recognized as the administrator of the temple and prevented other pangalis, who opposed him, from participating in the temple festival. The same was thwarted due to timely intervention; however, the respondent police did not take any action in this regard. Thereafter, the petitioner’s group conducted the festival independently.

4. It is also submitted that the third respondent filed another writ petition in WP.Crl.(MD)No.1300 of 2025 seeking to forbear the petitioner group from conducting temple festival and the same was dismissed on 09.09.2025. Thereafter, the respondent police permitted the petitioner to make the offering on a single day, without following the customary practice of taking pudiman 40 days prior to the temple festival and observing fasting during the said period. The petitioner had also filed a petition in WP(MD)No. 5907 of 2025 seeking electricity connection for the temple and the same was disposed of on 05.03.2025, directing the EB officials to consider the same, pursuant to which, electricity connection was provided to the temple. This ye