Rameswaram, May 16:
Six staff members of the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram have been suspended and three temporary workers dismissed after alleged irregularities worth ₹3.40 crore were uncovered in the distribution of free laddus to devotees.
According to temple Joint Commissioner Sellathurai, the action follows an inquiry into the distribution of free laddu prasadam carried out under government orders. The probe, conducted over the past few days, found discrepancies in the handling of nearly 22.71 lakh laddus distributed between 2023 and 2026.
Officials stated that the suspended personnel include staff from the prasadam section and sales counters, while three temporary workers were permanently removed from service. The accused are believed to have been involved in lapses and mismanagement linked to the large-scale distribution process.
The temple, which functions under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, attracts devotees from across the country. Alongside free prasadam, the temple also sells laddus, appam, and bottled Kodi Theertham through its counters.
Authorities said the disciplinary action was taken in view of the seriousness of the alleged malpractice. The incident has sparked concern among devotees and local residents, given the scale of the irregularities in one of Tamil Nadu’s most prominent pilgrimage centres.