Thrissur: Bahrain-based Malayali Amal Mohammed Ali won a Mahindra Thar auction at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple on Saturday.
The Edappally-native bid 15.10 lakh for the red colour limited edition SUV that was donated to the temple by the Mahindra Group recently.
Two persons had made the Earnest Money Deposit of Rs 40,000 in the auction, for which the base price was set at Rs 15 lakh.
Mohammed Ali had participated in the auction through a friend, Subash Panicker, who said that the former was keen on winning the bid.
The popular SUV had been registered in the name of the temple administrator a year ago.
Devaswom members raise objection
Soon after the auction process concluded, certain sections of the Guruvayur Devaswom raised an objection.
It was after the Panicker, who participated in the auction on behalf of the NRI said that they were willing to go as high as Rs 21 lakh for the SUV.
After this statement, it is understood that the Devaswom officials felt the vehicle was auctioned off cheaply.
Meanwhile, Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman KB Mohandas said that the temple's governing council that will meet on December 21 will have the final say.
Meanwhile, Manorama News reported that the NRI who won the vehicle has claimed to take legal measures if the auction process was later deemed void somehow.