Amarnath board seeks Shivaling tampering CDs

Srinagar, July 4: Blaming the Jammu and Kashmir government and security agencies for the tampering of Shivalingam at the holy cave shrine, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) today said it will order a probe into the matter only after seeing the compact discs.

Two private TV channels, in possession of CDs, showed some people, including security personnel, tampering with the naturally formed phallus-shaped ice stalagmite of Lord Shiva (Shivalingam).

The channels claimed that these people had visited the holy cave shrine several days ahead of the official commencement of the two-month-long pilgrimage, scheduled for June 30.

The people were shown tampering with the Shivalingam, drinking the holy water, lighting oil lamps, 'dhoop', 'agarbati' (incense sticks) and applying 'sindoor (vermilion)' on it.

The shrine board, headed by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, blamed the state government and the security agencies for the lapse.

''We will first seek the CDs from the television channels. After seeing these, we will order an inquiry into the matter,'' SASB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Arun Kumar told sources here.

Dr Kumar held the state government and the security agencies responsible for the alleged tampering of the Shivalingam. Once the shrine board announces the date of the official commencement of the annual pilgrimage, the entire responsibility shifts to the state government and the security agencies, he added.

''If the CDs are genuine, the responsibility lies with the state government and the security agencies,'' the CEO said.

He said the state government should not have allowed anybody to proceed to the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas before the official commencement of the pilgrimage.

Dr Kumar said strict action would be taken against the security personnel involved in the tampering of the ice-lingam.

''If the CDs are given to us, we will analyse it and identify the security personnel involved in the tampering of the ice-lingam. Strict action will be taken against them,'' he added.

UNI

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