Hidden Cameras In Rameswaram Temple, 2 Arrested
Hidden cameras were found in changing rooms near Rameswaram Temple, leading to arrests and an ongoing police investigation.
The Ramanatha Swamy Temple, also known as Sri Rameswaram Temple, in Tamil Nadu is one of the most important Hindu temples. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to have been founded by Lord Ram. The temple attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over India every day, as it is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
As part of the temple's rituals, devotees are required to take a holy dip in the Agni Theertham beach and change into fresh clothes before entering the temple for darshan. To help with this, several private organisations and local individuals provide changing rooms for the pilgrims.
However, a disturbing incident came to light on 23rd December 2024. A group of devotees, including several women from Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu, arrived in Rameswaram to visit the temple. After taking the ritual dip in Agni Theertham, they paid a fee to use the changing rooms at the nearby Lakshmi Tea Shop.
One of the employees at the tea shop directed the elderly women to one room and the younger women to another. When one of the young women suspected something was wrong, she inspected the room and discovered a hidden camera embedded between the tiles on the wall. Shocked, she immediately informed her father, who contacted the police.
The Rameswaram police quickly responded and searched the changing rooms. They found hidden cameras in several rooms. The owner of the changing room and tea stall, Rajesh Kannan (34), and the tea stall employee, Meera Moideen, were arrested on the spot.
Further investigation revealed that the police found over 120 videos of women changing clothes, filmed in the past month, on both Rajesh Kannan's and Meera Moideen's phones. The police are now investigating the extent of the hidden camera operation and checking if these videos were shared on messaging apps or posted on social media.
Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjit Singh Kalon confirmed that the hidden camera had been seized, and the license for the changing room had been cancelled. He also urged devotees to use only the official changing rooms located within the temple premises or near the Agni Theertham beach, as they are more secure and trustworthy.
