K. Annamalai. File
| Photo Credit: M. Periasamy
BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), alleging that the police mishandled the security detail of Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan during his visit to Tirupparankundram temple in Madurai on Monday (February 17, 2025).
It was an attempt to deliberately stop the Minister from entering the place of worship, Annamalai alleged in his letter dated February 18, 2025, shared by BJP Tamil Nadu on X.
“It is disheartening to know that the Minister has been heckled by the police deployed at the entrance of the temple in spite of the prior clearance received by the Tamil Nadu police on the Minister’s travel itinerary which includes visit to both Arulmigu Subramaniya Swami Temple and Arulmigu Kasi Viswanathar Temple on the Thiruparankundram Hill,” he stated.
Annamalai said it was even more upsetting to learn that when Mr. Murugan questioned the officers about the sudden ban on his visit to the temples, the officers responded that they had received orders from the high command to deny him entry.
He alleged that it was a blatant misuse of power vested with the police. “This raises serious doubt among the general public who are already petrified by unprecedented occurrences of crimes in Tamil Nadu in recent times on the deliverance of security and protection to the common masses,” Mr. Annamalai said.
“If a Member of Parliament and a Minister could be heckled in such a manner, what is the state of the common people in our State,” he asked.
Published – February 19, 2025 03:20 pm IST