A ₹25 lakh misappropriation in the ₹100 darshan ticket system has come to light at Tiruchendur Subramanya Swamy temple, with temporary woman staff M. Menaka suspended for allegedly manipulating records.
Menaka, 29, from Tiruchendur locality, was suspended on May 19 in connection with alleged fraud involving ₹25 lakhs. An HR&CE official stated she allegedly used an alternate browser to generate receipts appearing in abstract records but not in the reprint system.
Complaints regarding discrepancies were brought to attention around 15 days ago. Following preliminary examination, action was initiated. Menaka falls under the administrative control of the temple administration, and the temple Thakkar placed her under suspension.
Menaka has returned ₹5 lakh collected through tickets and submitted a written undertaking to return the remaining amount within a few days without repeating such actions. The matter has been escalated to higher authorities, and steps have been taken to lodge a formal complaint.
Police registered a case at DCB on Friday, May 22, under BNS sections 316(2) and 318(4). Further investigations are underway.
Tiruchendur temple has seen steadily increasing devotee numbers over the past couple of years. To manage heavy crowds, darshan arrangements are organised in three categories: general darshan (free), ₹100 paid darshan, and a separate queue for senior citizens.
Thoothukudi South District BJP president R. Sidhrangathan condemned the scam, calling the exploitation of devotees’ spiritual sentiments highly condemnable. He questioned whether such a large-scale scam could be carried out by a single temporary staff member, suggesting the possibility of larger network involvement.
Sidhrangathan demanded that authorities identify all those responsible for irregularities and bring the real culprits to light through an investigation.
This fraud betrays the sacred trust of devotees visiting this sacred Murugan temple.
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