Friday, October 12, 2007

Arrests in Sikkim On Barred from temple issue

6 of Temple Management Committee Arrested
Gangtok, 12 October: The illegal ban on the schedule caste people of Tintek, East Sikkim to enter the shiv (Hindu) temple and offer puja has created a wide debate on the aged old system of untouchables among the intellectuals of the state. Following the illegal ban to a SC lady to enter the shiv temple and offer puja by the committee member of Tintek Tripureswar temple, she had lodged a complaint to SC welfare association and thereby to Gangtok Sadar Thana. The police initiated the step of fact finding and upon the queries, the committee members indeed revealed that they were following the old aged tradition. Police has arrested six persons in this connection under the civil right protection act 1955 and provision 3 of Schedule Caste and tribal (protection on atrocities) Act. The 6 are - Committee President Dinanath Tunsina, Vice-president Rupnarayan Ojha, treasurer Dathi Ram Ghimirey, Secretary TikaRam Dahal, and members cum ad visors Man Bahadur Dahal and PL Neopaney as per reports. Among those arrested are many senior citizens above 70 but were put behind bars after getting medical clearance .