# Power Cuts Out During CP Radhakrishnan Visit to Madurai Temple, Junior Engineer Suspended

> A junior electrical engineer was suspended after power failed for two minutes during Vice President CP Radhakrishnan's visit to Madurai Meenakshi Temple.

**Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-11-01 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/madurai-meenakshi-mndira-men-cp-radhakrishnan-ke-daure-para-batti-gula-kanishtha-abhiynta-nilnbita-54529 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Madurai, Meenakshi Temple, CP Radhakrishnan, Tamil Nadu, Power Outage, Suspension

A high-profile protocol lapse unfolded at the renowned Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, when the premises plunged into darkness during an official visit by top constitutional dignitaries. The unexpected disruption during a high-security schedule triggered immediate administrative fallout, prompting temple authorities to initiate disciplinary action and suspend a junior electrical engineer tasked with managing the site's electrical setup.

## Blackout During Press Interaction
The disruption occurred on October 30 when Vice President CP Radhakrishnan visited the Meenakshi Sundareswarar shrine alongside Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to offer prayers. After completing their religious rituals, the dignitaries moved towards the temple's East Chithirai Street area. As the Vice President began interacting with journalists gathered at the spot, the electricity supply abruptly failed. The entire surrounding space remained plunged in darkness for nearly two minutes. Occurring in the middle of a VVIP presence, the brief outage immediately put the temple's logistical and electrical readiness under fierce scrutiny.

## Suspension and Procedural Inquiry
In the aftermath of the breakdown, the temple administration placed junior engineer S Janakiraman under suspension, with the order taking effect from October 31. Formal disciplinary proceedings were invoked under Section 56 (1) of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959. The official suspension order was formally signed by R Rukmani, who heads the temple's board of trustees.

The administrative notice emphasized that such an oversight during a high-level VVIP itinerary severely undermined the reputation of both the shrine management and the state government. S Janakiraman has been directed to submit a written reply explaining his conduct within a 15-day window. Failure to submit an explanation within this timeframe will result in further administrative decisions based on existing documentary records. The suspension directive also grants the engineer an opportunity to challenge the charges by lodging a formal appeal before higher authorities within 30 days.

## Political Reactions and Opposition Criticism
Addressing the blackout, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan made a pointed observation regarding the state's power network. He stated, 
> "The Goddess was deliberately showing the country the true state of power cuts in Tamil Nadu."
 The incident also provided political ammunition to the opposition AIADMK, which strongly questioned the administrative apparatus. The party pointed out that the shrine had suffered an identical outage just a day earlier during the visit of former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, intensifying scrutiny over recurring power issues at the prominent pilgrimage site.

## Minister Clarifies Outage Cause
Amid escalating public and political scrutiny, Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister R Nirmal Kumar issued an explanation regarding the breakdown. He maintained that the power cut was not triggered by a failure in the regional electricity grid, but by an internal technical glitch. According to the minister, staff were actively shifting the temple's power source onto an auxiliary generator system to ensure uninterrupted supply for the VIP movement. It was during this switchover process that a technical malfunction occurred, leading to the brief interruption.

## What this means for you
This development underscores that technical negligence during high-security protocol events attracts swift administrative penalties and strict scrutiny.

- **Across India:** Government agencies and religious trusts handling VVIP schedules face tighter mandates regarding technical redundancy and power backups. Engineers and maintenance teams must ensure flawless execution during critical transitions to secondary power grids.
- **In Tamil Nadu:** Madurai Meenakshi Temple's technical operations and auxiliary generator systems will undergo intensified inspections. The state administration will likely enforce stricter standard operating procedures to avoid repeat embarrassments during dignitary movements.
- **For Public Employees:** The incident reiterates that service disruptions during VIP itineraries invite immediate disciplinary inquiries under departmental regulations. Suspended personnel must meet strict legal deadlines, such as the 15-day notice window to present their defense.
- **For Pilgrims and Visitors:** Ongoing technical audits resulting from this disruption will enhance overall electrical reliability inside the crowded temple complex. Devotees can expect more robust backup arrangements that prevent sudden blackouts across the historic premises.

## Why this happened
This administrative action stemmed from an embarrassing power outage during a Vice Presidential visit to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.

- **Direct Cause:** Electricity failed for approximately two minutes while the Vice President was briefing journalists on East Chithirai Street after his prayer visit. The resulting blackout was classified as severe negligence during an official VVIP movement.
- **Technical Conditions:** The state electricity minister explained that the regional grid had not collapsed; instead, technicians were attempting to hook the temple's line to a backup generator. A glitch during this transfer process triggered the temporary supply interruption.
- **Preceding Context:** The political opposition noted that the temple experienced a similar blackout just a day earlier during the visit of a former chief minister. Recurring disruptions over consecutive days elevated concerns beyond a simple random failure.
- **Administrative Reaction:** Citing reputational damage to the state and temple authorities, the board of trustees suspended the junior electrical engineer under statutory provisions, demanding a written response within 15 days.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When did the power outage occur at the Meenakshi Temple?
The incident occurred on October 30 while Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar were visiting the shrine.

### 2. How long did the power interruption last?
Electricity remained cut off for approximately two minutes while the Vice President was speaking to reporters.

### 3. Which official was suspended following the incident?
Junior electrical engineer S Janakiraman was suspended under Section 56 (1) of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.

### 4. How much time does the suspended engineer have to respond?
The engineer has been given 15 days to submit a written explanation and 30 days to file an appeal against the action.

### 5. What explanation did the electricity minister offer for the blackout?
Electricity Minister R Nirmal Kumar stated that the grid did not fail, but a technical glitch occurred while switching the temple's supply to a generator.

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