Two Temple Watchmen Killed at Tamil Nadu Shrine in Suspected Robbery

Overview

• A morning-shift guard found the bodies near the flagmast inside the Nachadai Thavirtharuliya Swamy temple at Devadanam, about 12 km from Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district.
• The temple’s hundiyal was discovered broken with cash missing, and CCTV cameras at the site were found damaged.
• Police registered a case and began an investigation, with no arrests or public identification of suspects announced so far.
• The victims were identified as watchmen Shankarapandian, 65, and Pechimuthu, 50, according to police and temple officials.
• Relatives protested over the killings by initially refusing to accept the bodies, while opposition leaders criticized the state government’s handling of law and order.