Local authorities in India's Tamil Nadu on Wednesday sealed Droupadi Amman Temple, in Koliyanur Village in Villupuram district, after some upper caste members refused to let the Dalits enter the temple.
The temple, run by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department of the state government, has been sealed to avoid disruptions to law and order.
The row over the Dalits' entry into the temple has persisted since April. Though several rounds of talks - initiated by the local administration - have been held between the members of upper caste and Dalits (people of the lowest social order), no amicable solution has yet been reached.
The police have also been deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident and to enforce the vigil.
D Ravikumar, a parliamentarian from Villupuram, as well as several other politicians, has submitted a memorandum to District Collector C .Palani urging that all devotees should be allowed inside the temple regardless of their caste.
According to media reports, a member from the Dalit community was denied entry by the upper caste congregants. After the incident, the Dalit members staged a protest and blocked the road. This led to clashes with police.
Members from the Dalit community also met State Minister K Ponmudi who vowed to take legal action against those who stopped the Dalits from entering the temple.
The upper caste members retaliated against the minister's intervention and protested with slogans. They also tried to return their government identification and threatened to sacrifice themselves. However, they were overpowered by the police.
Several media reports quoting Villupuram Superintendent of Police Mohan Raj claim that four rounds of peace talks between the two communities since May. The talks were initiated by District Collector Palani, Superintendent Raj and Revenue Divisional Officer S Ravichandran.