Performed puja at  Ponnambalamedu; case registered against former assistant of Keezhshanthi at Sabarimala temple

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Forest Department has registered a case against a Tamil Nadu native for trespassing into Ponnambalamedu in Sabarimala and performing a puja. The case has been registered against Chennai native Narayanan. He had served as an assistant of the Keezhshanthi at the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple. Devaswom Board president K Ananthagopan said that the board will lodge a complaint with the state police chief and forest department chief in the incident.

Narayanan performed the puja at the platform on which 'Makara Vilakku' is lit annually. The incident came to light after visuals of the puja surfaced online. However, the time at which the video was recorded is not clear.

The Devaswom Board said that it filed a complaint with the chief of police and the forest department as further action must be taken in the incident. K Ananthagopan participated in the meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram in this regard. The Devaswom Board will also conduct a detailed investigation in connection with the incident.

The Devaswom Board believes that the puja was performed a month ago. Sources close to the Devaswom Board said that Narayanan committed various types of irregularities in the past. Earlier, the police had nabbed him for travelling on a car bearing the board 'Tantri'. He had also allegedly given fake receipts to those who come for puja while he served as an assistant of the Keezhshanthi.