The planned exhumation of Gopan Swami, 69, who was entombed in a ‘samadhi’ by his family in Neyyattinkara near Thiruvananthapuram, was halted on Monday following strong resistance from his family and local residents.

Dramatic scenes unfolded at the burial site as police, acting on an order from the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), attempted to exhume the body for forensic and post-mortem examination.

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However, the attempt was thwarted by protests led by Gopan Swami’s family, supported by locals and organizations like the Hindu Aikya Vedi and VSDP.

Gopan Swami, a native of Neyyattinkara and aged 69 at the time of his death, was buried by his sons, Sanandan and Rajasenan, on Thursday.

They claimed that he had attained ‘samadhi,’ a spiritual term often associated with the death of holy men who have achieved ultimate spiritual realization.

The family and their supporters staged a sit-in near the tomb, vehemently opposing any attempt to exhume the body.

Gopan Swami’s wife, Sulochana, and their children asserted that the burial was conducted according to his wishes.

Rajasenan, the family temple priest, stated that his father had expressed his desire to attain ‘samadhi’ and had made all the necessary preparations in advance.

The controversy erupted on Monday when police arrived to open the concrete chamber and conduct a post-mortem.

Local residents and protesters blocked the proceedings, leading authorities to temporarily halt the exhumation, fearing the situation might escalate into a law-and-order issue.

The family maintains that Gopan Swami passed away peacefully on Thursday morning and was entombed as per his explicit instructions.

According to Rajasenan, the burial was carried out in strict adherence to his father’s wishes, with the concrete slab placed over the tomb following his demise.

Local residents reportedly became aware of the burial only after a flex board announcing the ‘samadhi’ was erected on Friday.

The situation remains tense as authorities deliberate on the next steps amidst the mounting resistance.