JC from Tiruchendur temple transferred

The Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) has transferred K. Ram, Joint Commissioner and Managing Director of Subramanya Swami Temple, Tiruchendur.

He will be replaced by A. Arunachalam, Joint Commissioner/Executive Officer, Devi Karumariamman Temple, Thiruverkad.

N. Yagnanarayanan, Verification Officer from Tiruchi region, is posted as Deputy Commissioner at Thiruchendur Temple, filling up the vacancy.

Similarly, S. Meivel, deputy commissioner of Thiruchendur, is transferred to Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai in place of PS Lokanathan, who was posted to Thiruchendur.

Secretary J. Kumaragurubaran said the transfers and postings were done keeping in mind the welfare of the temple administration and the public.

Operation Sting

The transfers follow a recent operation by HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh, who went incognito to the temple and caught priests and several employees accepting money for arranging darshan.

The priest has since been suspended.

A pension officer of HR&CE said that the department staff has no control over the priests in the temple and only the administrator can question them.

In many temples, darshan was arranged by outsiders who were associated with priests or low-level employees, the retired official added.

Published – 05 Jun 2026 0:37 IST