Conspiracy to tarnish Sabarimala revealed

Jaimala issue: Probe hints at conspiracy

Source:www.keralakaumudi.com

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The crime branch that probed Kannada actress Jaimala’s claim that she had entered the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple disregarding the ban on women in the 10-50 age group, has hinted at the possibility of a conspiracy to defame the famous shrine and its authorities.

According to police sources, the inquiry found that there were strong reasons to suspect that there was a conspiracy between the actress and a renowned astrologer to show the temple authorities and priests in poor light.

The special inquiry team headed by SP, Crime Branch, Ramachandran Nair, found that Jaimala and astrologer Unnikrishna Panikkar knew each other for many years.

It was significant that the actress made her claim of having visited the shrine 20 years ago shortly after the devaprasnam (astrological examination of temple affairs) conducted by Panikkar found gross improprieties in the conduct of the temple rituals by priests.

Panikkar had even said during the devaprasnam that the sanctity of the temple had been defiled by presence of women in gross violation of the shrine’s traditions.

A section of the priests had then questioned the propriety of Panikkar’s open comments during and after the devaprasnam.

Piecing these together, the inquiry report holds, it could be possible that the Jaimala episode could be the result of some sort of a conspiracy.