A video of two staff attached to the Sri Kolanjiappar Temple in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhachalam consuming liquor and meat within the premises went viral on Sunday.

The video has sent shock waves across the State. Temples under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department have been functioning during the lockdown only with priests and other necessary staff alone.

The video shows two staff, identified as Pulavar Sivarajan and watchman Sivakumar, sitting in the ‘nandhavanam’ (garden) consuming liquor and meat. One of them is heard offering venison. The video was reportedly recorded by two other members.

When contacted, temple’s Executive Officer Marimuthu said the duo had been suspended and an enquiry ordered into the incident.

The temple was in the news recently after nine spotted deer out of a total of 21 maintained by the administration in a separate enclosure on the premises were found dead over a span of three months allegedly due to food poisoning.