HC slams TN govt for raising ‘law and order’ fears, clears way for Deepam near Dargah

Bengaluru A 34-year-old software engineer from Mangaluru lost her life due to asphyxiation after a fire broke out in her apartment in Ramamurthy Nagar late on Saturday night.

The deceased has been identified as Sharmila, a native of Kavoor in Mangaluru. She had relocated to Bengaluru about a year ago in search of better career prospects and was residing in an apartment complex at Subramanya Layout.

The incident occurred around 11 pm when Sharmila was alone in the flat, as her roommate had travelled out of town for the weekend. Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit in one of the rooms. Within a short span, the apartment was filled with dense, toxic smoke.

As the flames spread, the power supply to the building was cut off, plunging the flat into darkness. Police believe that Sharmila, trapped inside the smoke-filled apartment and unable to find an exit or a source of ventilation, succumbed to smoke inhalation.

The fire caused extensive damage to household items, with beds, curtains and other furniture completely gutted. Personnel from the Ramamurthy Nagar police shifted the body for post-mortem examination, which has since been completed. The mortal remains were later handed over to her family.

A case has been registered, and the police have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the suspected electrical failure.

Kannur: The Kerala Yatra, organised by the Kerala Muslim Jamaat under the theme “With Humanity,” drew a massive response at the Kannur Collectorate Grounds on its second day, as the Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmed, issued a strong caution against communal and divisive speech.

Addressing the gathering, the Grand Mufti warned that irresponsible rhetoric by community leaders could damage the social fabric of the land. He said Kerala’s people are deeply rooted in democratic values and mutual friendship, and the state must firmly resist any attempt to disrupt religious harmony or create divisions among communities.

In his keynote address, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmed highlighted the moral responsibility that comes with being human and with holding positions of influence in society. “We must be able to stand together and hold others close,” he said, adding that those who enjoy public respect must exercise utmost care in their words. A single careless expression, he cautioned, can trigger social discord. True human elevation, he noted, lies in balancing material progress with spiritual and ethical growth, and divisive speech has no place in a democratic society.

The Yatra was accorded a warm welcome at the district border in Payyannur by district Sunni leaders, accompanied by a ceremonial Centenary Guard parade. By evening, thousands had gathered at the conference venue, Chithari K.P. Hamza Musliyar Nagar, reflecting the wide public support for the campaign.

The conference opened with a prayer by Sayyid Ali Bafaqi Thangal and was presided over by K.P. Abubakr Musliyar. It was formally inaugurated by Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran.

Deputy leaders Sayyid Ibrahimul Khaleel Al Bukhari and Perod Abdurahman Saqafi addressed the gathering, while Muhammadali Saqafi Valliyad and M. Muhammad Sadiq presented the keynote addresses outlining the conference resolutions. Prominent attendees included K. Sudhakaran MP, Deputy Mayor K.P. Tahir, K.K. Ragesh, Abdul Kareem Cheleri, and Kasim Irikkur. Hamidali Master delivered the welcome address, and Haneef Panoor proposed the vote of thanks.

The Kerala Yatra will continue with receptions scheduled at Nadapuram (January 3), Kozhikode Muthalakulam (January 4), Kalpetta (January 5), Gudalur (January 6), Areekode (January 7), Tirur (January 8), Ottapalam (January 9), Chavakkad (January 10), Ernakulam Marine Drive (January 11), Thodupuzha (January 12), Kottayam (January 13), Pathanamthitta and Kayamkulam (January 14), and Kollam (January 15). The campaign will conclude with a grand finale at Putharikandam, Thiruvananthapuram, on January 16.

Chennai: The Madras High Court has strongly criticised the Tamil Nadu government for citing what it termed an “imaginary” law and order concern to delay the implementation of a court order permitting the lighting of the Deepam on the Deepathoon atop the Thiruparankundram hills in Madurai.

Upholding an earlier order passed by Justice G R Swaminathan, a division bench of Justices G Jayachandran and K K Ramakrishnan of the Madurai Bench dismissed the appeal filed by the state government and reaffirmed that the Deepam could be lit at the site during Karthigai Deepam.

The bench expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to implement the single judge’s directive, even after permission was granted for CISF personnel to accompany the petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, to the hilltop on December 3 to light the lamp. While allowing the ritual, the court clarified that the number of people permitted to climb the hill would be determined by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The state government had objected to the single judge’s order, arguing that allowing people to climb the hill and light the Deepam could trigger law and order issues, as the Sikkander Badusha Dargah is located about 50 metres from the Deepathoon. Meanwhile, officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department went ahead with lighting the lamp at the Uchipillaiyar temple at 6 pm, following established tradition.

Rejecting the government’s stand, the division bench said the apprehension of law and order problems was an “imaginary ghost” created by the authorities for their own convenience and criticised the district administration for not complying with the court’s order. The judges observed that instead of raising unfounded fears, the administration should have used the judgment as an opportunity to foster dialogue and harmony between communities.

The court also noted that neither the state government nor representatives of the dargah had produced any evidence to show that agama shastra prohibited the lighting of the Deepam at the site.

The Thiruparankundram hill has historically been a symbol of communal harmony, housing the Subramaniya Swamy temple, the Kasi Viswanathan temple and the Sikkander Badusha Dargah for centuries. However, the site became a flashpoint in February 2025 after protests by Hindu organisations over allegations that Lok Sabha MP Nawaz Kani consumed meat on the hill. Despite the controversy, local residents continue to live in peace and mutual coexistence.