HC says temple land not to be alienated to BEL

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed that the state should not alienate temple land to that of Bharat Electronics Limited (Bel) at Nemmaluru village in Krishna district.

While dealing with a petition filed by Mr M. Venakatacharyulu, chairman of the trust board of Venkateswaraswamy temple, stating that the district administration was making efforts to alienate 53 acres of temple land to Bel for establishing an additional unit to manufacture and supply of optical and opto-electronic vision devices, the court asked the government not to allot the land till further orders.

The petitioner informed the court that the land, which was proposed for alienation, is the main source of income for the temple.

The petition also said the temple was founded in 1669 and devotees gifted the land for the purpose of nithya deeparadhana (the daily rituals of the temple).

Azhagiri cleared of murder charge

The Chitoor Sessions Court on Thursday acquitted Mr M.K. Azhagiri, son of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M.

Karunanidhi, and 12 others in the case relating to the murder of former TN minister, Mr T.

Kiruttinnan.

The former minister was murdered on May 20, 2003, at Madurai in Tamil Nadu when he was going for a morning walk. Mr Azhagiri and Madurai Deputy Mayor, Mr P.N.

Mannan alias Madurai Mannan, were made prime accused in the case.

However, the Sessions Judge, Mr P. Durga Prasad, acquitted Mr Azhagiri and 12 others saying that prosecution failed to prove the charges against them.

The Supreme Court shifted the trial from the Madurai sessions court to Chittoor sessions court in August last year, acting on a transfer petition filed by Mr Muthuramalingam and Mr Suresh Kumar, who raised doubts about the possibility of free and fair trial since the prime accused was the son of the Chief Minister.

The prosecution examined 114 witnesses and 13 accused including Mr Azhagiri. In fact, 82 witnesses and 13 accused were examined from March 12 to April 24 this year without a break.

More than 1,000 followers of Azhagiri had come from Madurai in 200 vehicles for the final hearing.

They mobbed him after the court acquitted him, burst crackers and distributed sweets.