Alappuzha: Probe confirms Chooral Muriyal at temple

ALAPPUZHA: A police investigation has confirmed Chooral Muriyal at Chettikulangara temple run by Travancore Devaswom Board.

DySP Anish V. Korah in his report to district police chief (available with DC), says they had credible evidence for the organisers performing the banned ritual on the temple premises by tactically averting police and media.

It found Kuttiyottams held in Kayamkulam, Haripad, Nooranad, Vallikunnam and Kothamangalam police station limits and served notices on organisers warning of legal action.

Apart from this, the police called a meeting of the leaders of 13 Karas and Sreedevi Vilasam Hindumatha Convention officials on February 16, 2018, and explained its legal consequences.

On the festival day (February 22, 2018) 430 police personnel were deployed, besides video surveillance. Ten policemen and six policewomen under a sub-inspector were at the temple to prevent the banned ritual.

But the temple administrators did not allow them to enter the Nalambalam.

Since 5 am, the Kuttiyottam groups including hundreds of devotees were seen arriving. The organisers prevented videography and photography by announcing through loudspeakers and exhibiting notices on its premises.

The children were seen smeared with sacred ash and their body parts were covered with plantain leaves and long clothes. The decked up children were made to enter the temple hidden by a human wall of Kuthiyottam sponsors, relatives and devotees covered with plantain leaves.

Mavelikara Police registered a First Information Report after gathering credible evidence of Chooral Muriyal by hurting body parts of children.

This year as well the Mavelikara police served notice on the organisers, citing consequences and called a meeting of elders and leaders of devotee outfits.

But defying them, they performed the ritual on March 11 and the police registered an FIR against parents of children and office bearers of Seedevi Vilasam Hindumatha Convention as well.

Some of the organizers tried to assault a correspondent of Deccan Chronicle newspaper, who tried to film the ritual and the police rescued him.

Based on the statement of the correspondent, an FIR (403/19) has been registered under section 341, 323, 294 (b),  506, and 34 of Indian Penal Code. The accused in the case have already been arrested.

"The centuries-old ritual is still being conducted by violating the court order and the investigation is still underway," the officer says.

"Since the legal remedy seems to be unviable in ending this practice, the TDB and leaders of devotee outfit should come up with strong awareness campaigns."

The concept of primitive Chooral Muriyal, which is being conducted at the temple as part of the annual Kumba Bharani festival, is the medieval practice of 'narabali' (human sacrifice). The sponsors of Kuttiyottam buy kids under age 13 from socially and financially backward families and pierce golden threads through their flanks. Then threads will be pulled back with bloodstains through the wound and offer it for the blessings of the deity.

The kids are treated as a person deprived of grace. At least 50 kids had been subjected to this practice here for the last couple of years.