WAYANAD: A melsanthi was suspended for his failure in giving prasadam to Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. The authorities of Valliyoorkavu Temple at Mananthavady taluk in Wayanad suspended melsanthi K V Shrijesh Namboodiri. The incident happened on March 25. Action was taken against him after a year.

The minister visited the temple on March 25 in 2018 as part of the annual temple fest. The melsanthi closed the temple as part of deeparadhana. Following that, the minister did not wait for the temple to reopen and left the place. This temple comes under Malabar Devaswom Board. The temple management said he was suspended following the direction of devaswom board authorities. Shrijesh has been serving as melsanthi for years.

The melsanthi said that he was unaware of the minister’s visit. The temple was closed as part of the rituals. I came to know about the minister’s visit only after this. But I couldn’t open the door since it was against the custom, he said.

Meantime, the minister said that he is not aware of the incident. If any complaint is obtained, then will examine it, he said.