Conduct comprehensive probe: TD Employees Confederation

Thiruvananthapuram, July 5 (UNI) The Travancore Devaswom Employees' Confederation today urged the government to take immediate steps to conduct a comprehensive probe into the claim of Kannada actress Jayamala that she had entered Sabarimala temple and touched the idol.

As the actress had confessed that she had touched the Ayyappa idol and was ready to accept any punishment, the Government should order her arrest and institute a detailed inquiry to bring out the truth, Confederation president R Shaji Sharma told reporters.

The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is one of the important temples in the world and such 'false claims' could be seen as a challenge to the century-old traditions and customs of the hill shrine, he said.

Mr Sharma said the Confederation did not think that the truth could be brought out through a probe by the intelligence wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board as it was suspected that some inter-state mafia was trying to vilify the temple's fame.

He added there was reason to suspect that Jayamala and astrologer Unnikrishna Panicker had made a secret pact in the 'Devaprasnam' held at Sabarimala recently.

Demanding a fresh 'Devaprasnam' involving experts in astrology, he said no private sponsorship was required for such temple activities.

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