Dispute over temple land: Former councillor alleges encroachment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Raising allegations of encroachment, former Thampanoor ward councillor R Harikumar has triggered a controversy over a plot of land and a building near the Sree Bala Subramanya Temple in Thampanoor. The Congress leader alleged that it has been encroached upon by the ONV Samskarika Samithi. However, Devaswom officials have denied any encroachment, stating that the land is under a valid rental agreement. According to Harikumar, the approximately five cents of land, which is under the Travancore Devaswom Board, was once a kanjippura of the temple. Later, it became a CITU office. Around five years ago, the-then devaswom executive officer converted it into a cultural space named Thidambu. None of these are functioning now. The ONV Samithi has now placed its board along with Devaswom Employees Welfare Society, said Harikumar. He has demanded an investigation and added that a complaint will be filed with Devaswom minister V N Vasavan. An RTI application has also been submitted to obtain related documents, he said. In response, assistant devaswom commissioner S Arun said that the land in question has been rented out to the Devaswom Employees Welfare Society, which pays a fixed monthly rent to the Board. The property has not been encroached. We will conduct an investigation into the board installed by the ONV Smaraka Samithi, he said.