Madras High Court Orders Return of Idols Removed on Unnatural Death Claims

The Madras High Court held that the State cannot take action based on superstition or unscientific public fears.

The case arose from north Chennai, where residents linked a series of unnatural deaths to the petitioner’s private worship of Hindu idols, leading authorities to remove them from his home.

The Court ordered the return and restoration of the idols and directed the petitioner to collect them from the Tahsildar’s office.

It clarified that allegations of unauthorised construction or irregular pooja timings can be examined separately under law and reiterated that private worship must not disturb the locality.

[A Karthik v. Rashmi Siddharth]