Temple authorities arrested for caste-based discrimination

Gangtok, Oct 12 (UNI) Police arrested six members of the Temple Management Committee at Tintek in East Sikkim following complaints of caste-based discrimination towards the Scheduled Caste community.

Official sources said here today that the managing committee of the Tintek Tripurasweri Shivalaya Mandir was accused of prohibiting the minority SC families to offer prayers at the temple.

Police had filed a suo moto case on October seven under Section three of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, along with Section three of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1988, against the temple management committee.

The six members were arrested yesterday and Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Dhiren Lama and the Gangtok Superintendent of Police was entrusted with the case.

Meanwhile, the temple remained closed for the past few months by the committee, causing anger among the devotees of the nearby areas.

UNI