Shops will be removed if found to be cause of temple fire, says OPS

Panneerselvam along with State Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar, State Minister for Cooperation, Sellur K Raju, MLAs and party functionaries inspected the Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam in the temple which was damaged in the massive fire that engulfed the place late on Friday night. 

After the inspection, Panneerselvam said the damaged Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam would be rebuilt within six months without rituals being affected. Temple protection teams would be formed throughout the State in all major temples and steps would be taken to prevent fire accidents, he said. 

When asked whether the shops on the temple premises would be removed, he said an expert team would study the fire accident and assess whether shops needed to remain in the temple precincts. If the shops are found to be the reason behind the fire, they would be removed, he said. On the demand of Hindu outfits that temples should be taken out of the purview of the HR&CE Department, Panneerselvam said it would not be appropriate to hand over the temples to any group. Only the government knows how to protect the temples, he said. The fire is a lesson to the government and based on it, safety aspects would be enhanced in all temples, said Panneerselvam. 

About the comments of astrologers that the fire is an indication of the end of AIADMK rule, he said he was not an astrologer and had no idea about astrology Meanwhile, a special team of police which is probing the incident picked up four shopkeepers — Murugapandi, Manoj, Karuppu and Velu. 

According to police sources, Murugapandi, running shop No. 76, was the last person to shut his shop. He had lit a camphor while closing his shop and police believe the camphor could have been the reason behind the fire. Also, the four shopkeepers were the first to rush to the spot after witnessing the smoke. Despite their efforts to put out the fire, it had started to spread and engulfed the entire Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam BJP national president H Raja, who visited the temple on Monday, said there is suspicion regarding the fire accident and investigation should be ordered based on CCTV footage. He also demanded that the government free all temples from the control of the HR&CE Department.