Temple Land Eviction Turns Violent: Suicide Attempts and Highway Blockade in Karur
23 families evicted from Vennaimalai temple land.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu’s Karur district carried out a contentious eviction drive on Thursday, forcibly removing 23 families who had lived for generations on 547 acres of Inam land officially belonging to the historic Balasubramaniya Swamy Temple at Vennaimalai, prompting desperate protests and near-tragic suicide attempts as residents faced immediate homelessness.
The situation turned critical when four members of Kannamma’s family attempted to end their lives in front of advancing officials at Chinna Vadugapatti village, highlighting the depth of despair among residents who insist they have no alternative shelter. Police officers present at the scene intervened in the nick of time, rescuing the individuals and preventing loss of life while revenue and HR&CE department teams pressed ahead with demolishing structures under heavy security cover.
More than 200 people, including senior political figures such as Congress MP S Jothimani and former AIADMK ministers M R Vijayabaskar and M Chinnasamy, rushed to the spot and attempted to block the busy Karur-Namakkal National Highway in solidarity with the displaced families. Police swiftly detained the leaders and other protesters, cleared the road after several hours of disruption, and restored vehicular movement amid heightened tension.
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The legal battle began in 2019 when A Radhakrishnan, trustee of Salem-based Thiruthondar Charitable Trust, approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking restoration of the temple’s vast land holdings across Kathaparai, Athur, and Aandankovil panchayats. The court ordered the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department to reclaim the property, and a recent contempt petition forced authorities to accelerate the long-delayed process despite repeated appeals from residents.
Led by HR&CE Assistant Commissioner Ramani Kanthan and district Superintendent of Police K Josh Thangaiah, the eviction operation commenced three weeks ago but faced fierce resistance daily. While officials maintain they are merely enforcing a binding court directive, affected families and opposition leaders accuse the government of insensitivity, pointing to the absence of any concrete rehabilitation package or prior resettlement plan for people who have resided on the land for multiple generations.
