BJP Leader H Raja Detained in Madurai Over Sacred Tree Dispute
Police in Madurai district detained eleven individuals, including BJP leader H Raja, late on Monday. The incident occurred at Thiruparankundram hill, where authorities prevented the group from entering the area surrounding the sacred Kallathi tree.
Sequence of Events Leading to Detention
Around 6 PM, H Raja visited the Kasi Viswanathar temple on the hill with other BJP functionaries for worship. After completing their prayers, Raja expressed a desire to inspect whether a flag from the Sandhanakoodu festival of Sikkander Badhusha dargah was attached to the Kallathi tree.
Police officials denied permission for this inspection, citing potential law and order issues. This refusal led to a heated quarrel between Raja and the police personnel present at the site.
Despite the clear denial, Raja and his associates attempted to proceed towards the tree area. Police responded by forcibly escorting the group back to the foothills by approximately 7 PM.
Legal Action and Charges
Thiruparankundram police formally detained all eleven BJP functionaries, including H Raja. Authorities booked them under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):
- Section 189(2) for unlawful assembly
- Section 126(2) for wrongful restraint
- Section 292 for causing public nuisance
Police released all detainees later without making any arrests in this particular case.
Related Incident Involving Women Protesters
In a separate but related development, police registered a similar case against five women and other individuals. These protesters had gathered in front of a police vehicle, demanding the removal of the flag from the Kallathi tree.
The women engaged in verbal altercations with law enforcement officials during their demonstration. Authorities did not make any arrests in this case either, though they filed formal charges against the participants.
Both incidents highlight ongoing tensions surrounding the sacred tree site at Thiruparankundram hill in Madurai district.
