Madurai, Feb. 26 -- The pilgrim town of Thiruparankundram in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district - a place where Hindus, Muslims and Jains have coexisted in harmony for over two centuries - is now facing communal tension.

Despite strong vigilance by the state government and police, backed by a recent Madras high court order to maintain the harmonious coexistence of people in the small town bordering Madurai city, right-wing Hindu groups have asserted that the entire hill, which houses both a temple and a mosque, belongs to Lord Murugan and is part of the Shaivite sect of Hinduism.

They also have opposed the animal sacrifices occasionally conducted by members of the Muslim community near the mosque and alleged that there have been deliberate a...