The Special Branch of the Kerala Police has rejected the claim of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Sivakumar’s claim that a ritual called ‘Shatru Bhairavi Yaga,’ which involves the sacrifice of animals, was performed at a temple in Kerala, targeting him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in the state.

The Special Branch in a report submitted to the state police chief has stated that there is no evidence of animal sacrifice performance as claimed by Sivakuamar. The Special Branch has given the report after conducting a thorough investigation that included inspections of temples and residences of several priests in Kannur district.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday claimed that ‘Shatru Bhairavi Yaga’ ritual involving the sacrifice of animals was being conducted at a temple in Kerala, targeting him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and the Congress government in the state.

D K Sivakumar alleged that 52 animals were sacrificed in the Yaga held near Rajarajeswara temple in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Sri Rajarajeshwara temple, a revered Shiva shrine in Taliparamba, Kannur, have refuted Shivakumar’s claims. They said that Rajarajeswara temple at Taliparamba is not a temple where animal sacrifice is performed.

Animal sacrifice pujas have not taken place in the temple premises either, they said. Rajarajeswara temple Devaswom Board member TT Madhavan expressed his unhappiness for dragging the temple into a controversy.

In this connection, Sivakumar has clarified that he did not say that animal sacrifice took place at Rajarajeswara temple but that the ritual involving animal sacrifice took place near Rajarajeswara temple and that he was a devotee who had visited the Rajarajeswara temple many times.

Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan has again responded to the claim of animal sacrifice of Karnataka Congress leader and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The Minister said that the allegation of Sivakumar regarding the animal sacrifice at Rajarajeshwara temple has been investigated and found that nothing of that sort has happened.

Akeeramon Kalidasan Bhattathiripad, president of the Yogakshema Sabha, a welfare association for the Namboothiri community, rejected the claim of Sivakumar. He said it is Shivakumar’s political gimmick. Rubbishing the claim, Akeeramon said there is no such perversity in the Hindu society.

CPI-M state secretary M V Govindan said that DK Sivakumar has made a statement mocking the cultural life of Kerala.

“The Rajarajeshwara temple at Taliparamba is an important Hindu temple in the country. Any kind of black magic or rituals involving sacrifices are not held at this temple,” Govindan said.

Higher Education Minister R Bindu has termed Shivakumar’s allegations as absurd, adding that such rituals could never occur in Kerala.