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Madras High Court Bench Split Over Animal Sacrifice at Thirupparankundram Hill

The matter is now before the Chief Justice for a decisive ruling on ritual slaughter at the historic worship site.

Madurai: People attend the Murugan Conference, in Madurai, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (PTI)
Image
A file image of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. The building is painted white and green. There is a red terracotta roof over the front portico. There is also a garlanded statue of MK Gandhi in front of the building. Several people can be seen walking about. There is a garden in front of the building.

Overview

  • Justices J. Nisha Banu and S. Srimathy delivered opposing opinions on six petitions challenging animal sacrifice and the hill’s renaming.
  • Justice Banu refused to ban sacrifices at the Sikandar Badhusha Dargah, citing its status as an established practice in both Hindu and Muslim traditions.
  • Justice Srimathy found no conclusive proof of historical sacrifice at the dargah and directed its trustees to seek validation in a civil court.
  • Both judges upheld the name Thirupparankundram Hill and barred quarrying as well as new infrastructure that could damage its protected monuments.
  • The case has been referred for a tie-breaker verdict and the Archaeological Survey of India must survey and demarcate the hill’s heritage structures within one year.