Final rites of Gopan held in Neyyattinkara

Mysterious death of self-styled priest Gopan Swamy in Neyyattinkara leads to elaborate burial ceremony amidst heavy police security.

The body of Gopan Swamy, alias Maniyan, a self-styled priest who died under mysterious circumstances last week in Neyyattinkara, was interred on Friday amidst heightened police security. The burial ceremony, attended by priests and the local populace, was organised by Gopan’s family along with various Hindu organisations, who conducted elaborate final rituals in honour of the deceased.

Gopan’s body, which had been kept at a private hospital in Neyyattinkara following a post-mortem examination at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, was brought to his residence in a ceremonial procession marked by the chanting of prayers.

The tomb, from where the body was exhumed earlier, was demolished and rebuilt with larger dimensions. The new tomb has been named ‘Rishipeetham’ and Gopan’s body was laid to rest in a seated position along with various worship materials. The ceremony was led by seers and leaders of Hindu organisations.

Given the controversial nature of Gopan’s death, the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police had deployed a heavy security presence for crowd control and surveillance. Personnel from various police units were involved in managing the large gathering and maintaining law and order during the ceremony. The area witnessed a steady influx of people who came to witness the occasion.

Earlier, Gopan’s elder son, Sanandan, expressed regret over his purported communal statements, attributing the controversy surrounding the death to people from other communities. The police are still awaiting the results of the chemical analysis and further examinations to determine the exact cause of Gopan’s death. Initial findings from the post-mortem examination revealed no signs of struggle or external injuries that would indicate foul play.