Tension gripped Akividu town in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district on Sunday as police took leaders of some organisations into custody while they were heading to the town amid the Akividu temple dispute, which has triggered an Andhra temple row.
Police stopped leaders and workers of Hindu groups marching towards the town from various places and took them into custody.
Akividu temple dispute triggers tension in West Godavari
Additional forces have been deployed in the town in view of the call given by Hindu organisations for a rally amid the dispute between sections of Hindus, and Dalits, highlighting growing West Godavari tension.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the town to prevent any gathering. Police made it clear that there is no permission for any rally or public meeting.
Police officers warned that strict action would be taken against anyone violating the prohibitory orders, stressing law and order in Andhra Pradesh.
Police detain leaders amid Andhra temple row
Police set up a checkpost near the town to check every vehicle entering the area. Buses of the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) were also being checked to ensure that outsiders do not enter the town to create disturbances.
Actress Karate Kalyani was stopped and detained by police at Kaikalur in Eluru district as she was heading to Akividu in support of the demand linked to the Ram temple dispute in Andhra.
Kalyani was placed under preventive detention to stop her from reaching Akividu. She condemned the police action.
In a video message to her supporters, she appealed to them not to lose hope and said she would visit Akividu one day.
Previous incident linked to ongoing temple dispute in Andhra Pradesh
Last week, the convoy of Deputy Speaker K. Raghu Rama Krishna Raju came under attack from a group of people after he garlanded an idol of Lord Ram at a temple in the Pedapeta area of Akividu on the occasion of Sri Ram Navami.
Local Dalits had urged the Deputy Speaker not to garland the idol. However, after he did so and got into his car, some people raising ‘Jai Bhim’ slogans attacked the convoy with stones and sticks, injuring three persons.
Background of Akividu temple dispute and claims
A dispute has been continuing at the structure for the past one month. The temple is believed to have been constructed in 1932.
People in the area say that the presiding deity of the structure is actually Goddess Gonthenamma, regarded as their caste deity.
According to a recent fact-finding report by the Human Rights Forum (HRF), the structure housing the Gonthenamma idol is not a temple in the conventional sense. Instead, it is a choultry (inn) where the idol was placed. A few decades ago, idols of Ram and Sita were also installed in the structure with the assent of the Gonthenamma temple caretaker.
The organisation alleged that attempts were made to convert the Gonthenamma shrine into a Ram temple. It further claimed that Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, a TDP MLA, along with some Hindu organisations, is behind these attempts.
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