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Mohanararu divested of duties as Sabarimala Tantri

Special Correspondent

Case registered by Mohanararu false, say police

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to divest Tantri Kantararu Mohanararu of his responsibilities at the Sabarimala temple with immediate effect in the wake of allegations against him.

Chief priest of the temple Kantararu Maheswararu will take over the duties of Mr. Mohanararu, TDB president G. Raman Nair told The Hindu on Monday.

Mr. Nair said the decision was taken following a row over a police complaint filed by Mr. Mohanararu that he had been robbed of gold ornaments and intimidated when he visited an apartment in Kochi to conduct puja.

"Mr. Mohanararu would not be allowed to perform the puja at Sabarimala even during his next tenure," Mr. Nair said.

Asked whether there was a conspiracy behind the controversies related to Sabarimala, Mr. Nair said he did not wish to go into the merits of such issues, but "the sanctity of the temple would remain unscathed."

"Though it was a personal issue, the board had decided to divest Mr. Mohanararu of his responsibilities as he was part of the temple," Mr. Nair said.

Staff Reporter adds from Kochi: The Kochi City Police said here on Monday that a case registered by Mohanararu of abduction and extortion was found to be false, after investigations.

The police said the priest had lodged a complaint with the Special Branch through his driver on Monday that a group of six people had assaulted him and tried to extort money from him after taking photographs of him along with a woman.

However, on investigation, the police found out that the priest was a regular visitor to the residential apartment. The police also have records of mobile phone calls made by the priest to the woman involved in this case.

The woman had been arrested by the City Police under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act six months ago.

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