Karnataka Temple Trust Challenges Non-Veg Ban

The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the state government after a temple trust challenged a police directive banning non-vegetarian food within 200 meters of Sri Honneshwara Deity temple. The trust argues this disrupts local customs and daily life in Shivanagere village.

The Karnataka High Court has intervened after a trust managing the Sri Honneshwaraswamy Devasthana temple filed a petition against a police order. The directive prohibits non-vegetarian food within a 200-meter radius of the temple in Tumakuru district, citing a previous court order as its basis.

The trust asserts that the restriction is excessive, disrupting age-old customs and the everyday lives of local residents. While the trust does not contest bans on animal sacrifice, it argues that the broader restriction is problematic given the village's layout surrounding the temple.

The High Court has demanded the state government clarify the order's rationale, questioning whether local customs were considered. The court has scheduled another hearing and the trust seeks interim relief to halt the restriction amid ongoing judicial proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)