Kochi: A controversy erupted over a poster related to the Ernakulam Shiva Temple festival that announced actor Dileep as the inaugurator of the coupon distribution, forcing the Temple Advisory Committee to reschedule the function and drop his name from the programme.

Dileep, who was acquitted in the sensational actress assault case, was scheduled to inaugurate the coupon distribution at 6.30 pm on Tuesday, and posters carrying his name had already been printed. However, the move triggered sharp criticism on social media, with strong reactions from both supporters and opponents and it soon snowballed into a wider controversy.

As the backlash intensified, concerns were also raised within the Cochin Devaswom Board, which intervened and asked the Temple Advisory Committee to resolve the issue. Temple Advisory Committee president B Ashok Kumar said it was Dileep himself who later informed the committee of his decision to stay away from the function.

“Dileep visits the temple almost every week. Since he has been acquitted by the court, the committee decided to invite him. But the billboard led to a debate on social media, with those supporting and opposing the decision taking strong positions, creating a controversy,” Kumar said.

He said the Devaswom Board stepped in to ensure that the issue does not affect the smooth conduct of the festival. “The Devaswom Board president called me and said the controversy should not create any difficulties for devotees,” Kumar said.

According to Kumar, Dileep also contacted the committee soon after. “Dileep called and said that he did not want to be part of the controversy and requested to be excluded from the function,” Kumar added.

Following these developments, the Temple Advisory Committee decided to postpone the coupon distribution ceremony, originally scheduled for Tuesday evening, to Wednesday. An official notification cited “technical reasons” for the change, and the inauguration will now be carried out by the temple’s head priest.