Temple fire: HC issues notice to TN, CBI on PIL seeking transfer of case

The Madras High Court today issued notice to the state government and the CBI on a plea seeking to transfer the Meenakshi Amman temple fire accident case to the central investigating agency.

A division bench of Justices C T Selvam and Basheer Ahamed posted the case for hearining on June 18, asking officials to file their response before that date.

The PIL was filed by the Hindu Alaya Padukappu Amaippu (temple protection organisation).

The petitioner submitted that the fire accident had occurred despite heavy police security in the temple complex.

The accident, which occurred on February 2, damaged 7,000 sq feet of 'Vasantharayar Mandapam' and caused a loss of Rs. 52 crore.

The expert committee, constituted to study the fire accident, said 'Agama' rules weren't followed and indiscriminate permission was given to set up shops in the temple complex leading to the accident, the petitioner alleged.

The organisation submitted that it did not expect the temple police station personnel, who has filed the FIR in the case, to conduct a fair investigation into the fire mishap and sought a CBI probe.

Forty shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out on the premises of the Meenakshi temple on the night of February 2.