The Kerala High Court has directed the state police to register a criminal case and launch an investigation into the misappropriation of gold from a shrine's side frames or lintels.
In a purported video which surfaced on social media, the accused man, reportedly a Tamil Nadu native, could be seen sitting on a platform atop the Ponnambalamedu Hills, located about four km from the Sabarimala temple, and chanting mantras and doing some rituals.
The terrorist duo David Colman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana had planned to blast two major temples in Kerala -- the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and Guruyaur Sreekrishna Swami temple -- to spread panic in the state and country, central intelligence sources told rediff.com.
Sabarimala Special Commissioner Rajendra Nair said a jeep had ploughed through the pilgrims, who were returning from 'makara samkrama pooja', using a narrow trekking path in a heavily forested hilly area, about 7km from Sabarimala hilltop shrine.
Though the government was for maintaining equal status for men and women, a separate season for women was necessary in view of the practical difficulties in providing facilities for women, when lakhs of devotees converge there during the pilgrimage season between November and January, it said.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has insured the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine for a value of Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) and also introduced a free-of-cost accident insurance project for pilgrims visiting the holy place.
Police said the tantri came in person to give the second complaint to the Central Police Circle Inspector. The police have registered the second complaint.
Pandalam Royal family member Sasikumar Varma, one of the petitioners, said he was happy with the apex court's decision to review the September 28 verdict.
Heavy rains pounded south and central Kerala on Saturday wreaking havoc in many parts with some people feared missing in the landslides that occurred in hilly areas bordering Kottayam and Idukki districts prompting the state government to seek the assistance of the Army and Air Force for rescue operations.
One of the most important cases which have political implications is the Ayodhya land dispute case.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made it clear that the Left government was with the believers.
The Kerala government dubbed Desai's attempt to visit Sabarimala as a 'conspiracy'.
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