MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed that the petitioner, along with ten others, be permitted to go up to the Deepam pillar on the Thirupparankundram hilltop to light the Karthigai Deepam, while ordering the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide adequate security, after it found that its earlier order on the ritual had been wilfully disobeyed.

Justice G R Swaminathan, hearing a contempt petition filed hours before the annual Karthigai Deepam lighting ceremony, observed that the authorities had “beyond dispute” breached the court’s December 1 order directing the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple management to facilitate the lighting of the Deepam at the lower peak of the hillock, known as Deepathoon.

Although the temple had lit the lamp at Uchi P

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