Board accused of tampering with Shivlingam

A petition has been filed in the Jammu and Kashmir High court against the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board for "hurting the sentiments of Hindu devotees" by allegedly tampering with the 'Shivlingam' at the Himalayan cave shrine.

The case has been listed for hearing before Justice JP Singh on Wednesday.

The state government, its Chief Secretary, the Tourism Department commissioner-secretary and the Director of Tourism are also named as respondents in the petition filed by a resident of Kistwar town.

He said in the petition that the SASB had hurt the sentiments of Hindu devotees visiting the Amarnath shrine by installing a "fake Shivlingam' in the cave.

SASB has already ordered a probe by a retired High Court judge into the controversy surrounding the stacking of snow in place of the naturally formed ice lingam.

The one-man commission is expected to submit its report in the second week of August.