TRICHY: The body of Lakhsmana Narayana seer of Srirangam Balahari Purushothama Ramanuja mutt, who passed away in Kolkata on May 6, created a flutter in Srirangam on Wednesday over a dispute whether the mortal remains could be buried inside the mutt. The body of the seer was brought from Kolkata to Chennai on Tuesday night, and taken to Amma Mandapam in an ambulance.

The disciples of the deceased insisted that the body be buried inside the mutt, but the authorities of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department objected, saying the mutt housed the Perumal temple. Srirangam tahsildar Rengarajan said it was either a Christian or Muslim tradition to keep a body inside a place of worship for rituals, and was not acceptable in the Hindu dharma.