Trichy: In a significant protest, villagers from Kodiyalam in Trichy district blocked the Trichy-Karur national highway (NH) on Sunday, alleging that the police and revenue department had denied permission to conduct the annual festival at a Mariamman temple. The villagers had planned to commence the festival on May 31 (Sunday) and had submitted petitions seeking the necessary permissions. However, citing the history of events that unfolded in temple festivals over the last three years, the police denied permission.
Background of the Dispute
Two murders linked to disputes between two different groups regarding the conduct of the festival were reported in 2023 and 2025. Although the villagers obtained a court directive allowing the festival, the two groups failed to reach a consensus. As a result, permission was denied once again, prompting the villagers to block the highway on Sunday morning for about an hour. This disruption caused several vehicles to be stuck in the bottleneck.
Protest and Resolution
The villagers demanded permission to conduct the festival. In a subsequent peace talk, the police agreed to permit the festival under the condition that the villagers ensure public safety and a violence-free celebration. Following this assurance, the protest was withdrawn, and traffic returned to normal.
