S.Murugan v. The State Of Tamilnadu
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 25/03/2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE L. VICTORIA GOWRI and WPMP CRL.(MD). No.396, 380 and 381 of 2026 WP CRL.(MD). No.1663 of 2026
1. S.Murugan
2. M.Muthiah
3. Mariappan
4. Pandi Gurusamy
5. Udhayakumar
6. A.Vallikannu ... Petitioners Vs
1. The State of Tamilnadu, Rep by the Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli District.
2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli Rural, Tirunelveli District.
3. The Inspector of Police, Devarkulam Police Station, Tirunelveli District.
... Respondents 1/8
PRAYER :- To pass an order or Direction or Writ more particularly in the nature of Writ of Mandamus by directing the 2nd and 3rd respondent to award adequate police protection for their performing of Panguni Uthiram Celebration scheduled to be taken place from 31.03.2026 to 03.04.2026 in our Arulmigu Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil at Ilanthaikulam, Tirunelveli District, by considering the petitioner's representation dated 07.03.2026.
For Petitioner : Mr. Anand R., Advocate.
For Respondent : Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar, Government Advocate (Crl.Side) WP CRL.(MD). No.1556 of 2026
1. G.Vallikannu,
2. Kumareswaran Ayyanar,
3. Gurusamy,
4. Krishnasamy,
5. Kannan,
6. Saravanan,
7. N.Murugan,
8. V.Saravanan, 2/8
9. Vallikannu,
10. Pithchaiya ... Petitioners Vs
1. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli District.
2. The Inspector of Police, Deverkulam Police Station, Devarkulam, Tirunelveli District.
3. Murugan Chettiyar
4. Mela Elandhaikulam Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil, Maintenance Committee Registered in Reg. No. 19/2009 by its Authorized Persons, Bearing Office at No. 75/5, Daldurai Bunglow Street, Kovilpatti.
5. Ramesh
6. Balamurugan
7. Selvakumar
8. Marikannan
9. Ganesan
10. Gurusamy
11. Manikandan
12. Marimuthu ... Respondents 3/8
PRAYER :- To issue a Writ of Certorarified Mandamus to call for the records on the file of the 1st respondent in connection impugned order passed by vide procedings in Na.Ka.No.112/Forecast/Ka.Thu.Ka./Thili/Rural/2026 dated 05.03.2026 (served on 08.03.2026) to quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents 1 and 2 to grant police protection in the eve of Panguni Uthira festival of Mela Elandhaikulam Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil scheduled to be held on 01.04.2026 to 03.04.2026 based on the petitioners' representation dated 17.02.2026 as well as in the light of judgment decree dated 07.11.2013 passed in O.S.No.159 of 2008 on the file of the learned Additional District Munsif Court, Sankarankovil.
For Petitioner : Mr. Karthikeyavenkatachalapathy for G.Thalaimuthurasu, Advocate.
For Respondent : Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar for R1 and R2 Government Advocate (Crl.Side) Mr.R.Anand for R3 Mr.N.Balasubramanian for R4 to R12
ORDER
The Writ Petition in WP Crl.(MD)No.1663 of 2026 is filed to issue a Writ of Mandamus by directing the 2nd and 3rd respondent to award 4/8
adequate police protection for their performing of Panguni Uthiram Celebration scheduled to be taken place from 31.03.2026 to 03.04.2026 in our Arulmigu Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil at Ilanthaikulam, Tirunelveli District, by considering the petitioner's representation dated 07.03.2026.
2. The Writ Petition in WP Crl.(MD)No.1556 of 2026 is filed to issue a Writ of Certorarified Mandamus to call for the records on the file of the 1st respondent in connection impugned order passed by vide proceedings in Na.Ka.No.112/Forecast/Ka.Thu.Ka./Thili/Rural/2026 dated 05.03.2026 (served on 08.03.2026) to quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents 1 and 2 to grant police protection in the eve of Panguni Uthiram festival of Mela Elandhaikulam Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil scheduled to be held on 01.04.2026 to 03.04.2026 based on the petitioners' representation dated 17.02.2026 as well as in the light of judgment decree dated 07.11.2013 passed in O.S.No.159 of 2008 on the file of the learned Additional District Munsif Court, Sankarankovil.
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3. When both the writ petitions were taken up together before this Court, the respective parties along with their counsels appeared before this Court and had extended their willingness to amicably settle their scores among themselves and Cooperate with each other for the conduct of Panguni Uthiram celebration scheduled to be take conducted from 31.03.2026 to 03.04.2026 in Arulmigu Sri Yanaimel Ayyanar Thirukovil Mela Elandhaikulam.
4. In view of the same, the impugned proceedings in Na.Ka.No. 112/Forecast/Ka.Thu.Ka./Thili/Rural/2026 dated 05.03.2026 (served on 08.03.2026) passed by the first respondent in WP Crl.(MD)No.1556 of 2026 is hereby set aside and this Court permits the petitioners and the private parties in both the petitions, to collect money in Thalaikattu Vari from all the Varidharars and conduct the Panguni Uttaram celebration from 31.03.2026 to 03.04.2026, sharing the expenditure to be incurred towards the said festival, equally and the first and second respondents are directed to afford necessary police protection on payment of necessary charges in terms of GO.Ms.No.139, Home (Pol-VIII) Department, dated 6/8
04.03.2019 during the said Panguni Uthiram celebration in the above temple.
5. Accordingly, these Writ Petitions are allowed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 25.03.2026 NCC : yes / no Index : yes /no Note: Issue order copy on 26.03.2026 pnn To
1. The Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli District.
2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli Rural, Tirunelveli District.
3. The Inspector of Police, Devarkulam Police Station, Tirunelveli District.
4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
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L. VICTORIA GOWRI,J pnn
ORDER
IN and WPMP CRL.(MD). No.396, 380 and 381 of 2026 Date : 25/03/2026 8/8