Udupi swamiji heckled by customs at BIA

Bangalore: The swamiji of Puthige Mutt,Sugunendra Thirtha of Udupi Ashta Mutt lineage was heckled by customs officials at the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) after he arrived by an Air France flight from the US, on Thursday.
They also took into custody one of his baggage, that he had been carrying, on charges that the bag contained gold jewellery.
Speaking to DNA, a spokesperson of the mutt clarified that the gold jewellery the customs officials were referring to was a relic owned by the Puthige Mutt, and as the head of the mutt, the seer was required to carry it wherever he went.
“It was a peetha made of gold on which we keep the idols and perform poojas on a daily basis wherever he goes. This peetha has been travelling everywhere inside India and several times abroad, but no such problem cropped up so far. Also it was not a jewel as it was purported to be” the spokesperson said.
22/10/10 Daily News & Analysis

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: airports Oct 2010