KHAMMAM: Sri Seetharamachandra Swamy temple executive officer L Ramadevi fell unconscious during a confrontation with some people who have encroached land belonging to the shrine in Purushothapatnam village in AP on Tuesday.
While the EO was shifted to KIMS hospital in Bhadrachalam for treatment, Assistant EO Bhavani Prasad lodged a complaint at the Yetapaka police station in AP.
Temple officials told TNIE that a group of individuals has encroached upon 671 acres belonging to the shrine. On Tuesday, Ramadevi, accompanied by other temple staff, went to Purushothapatnam to resolve the matter. However, the group was stopped at the village entrance and a commotion ensued. During the jostling, EO Ramadevi reportedly slipped, fell and fainted.
Bhadrachalam ASP Vikranth Singh Kumar confirmed the incident occurred in Andhra Pradesh. The ASP stated that Ramadevi’s condition is stable. He added that the temple staff did not inform the local police before entering the village.
Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, who spoke to Ramadevi on phone, condemned the attack and urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to intervene and resolve the issue.
Min: Officials tried to stop unauthorised constructions
A long-standing dispute surrounds the land owned by the Sri Seetharamachandra Swamy temple in Purushothapatnam. As per official records, around 917 acres were donated to Lord Rama in 1878 by devotee Somaraju Purushottam Das.
After the sale of 27 acres by temple authorities, approximately 889.5 acres remain with the temple. Of this, around 671 acres are allegedly under encroachment.
Following the bifurcation of the state, Purushothapatnam became part of Andhra Pradesh while the temple is in Telangana territory. Despite favourable court orders, temple authorities claim the Andhra Pradesh government has not acted to secure the disputed lands.
Minister Konda Surekha noted that the Bhadrachalam temple owns around 1,300 acres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with about 889.5 acres situated in Purushothapatnam in Yetapaka mandal, Alluri Sitarama Raju district. She said temple officials had attempted to stop unauthorised construction, which had led to repeated tensions with local residents.
Dy collectors from MP all praise for Praja Vani
Hyderabad: A team of deputy collectors from Madhya Pradesh visited the CM Praja Vani and Pravasi Praja Vani offices at Jyothiba Phule Praja Bhavan here on Tuesday. The team was impressed with the functioning of CM Praja Vani and expressed their desire to implement a similar system in Madhya Pradesh.
The deputy collectors met Dr G Chinna Reddy, in-charge of Praja Vani and vice-chairman of State Planning Board, and Divya Devarajan, State Nodal Officer. They were briefed about the working of Praja Vani and its role as a platform for resolving public grievances. The deputy collectors from MP appreciated the initiative and stated that they would recommend it to their senior officials for implementation in their state.
Meghalaya team visits Assembly
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Assembly Public Accounts Committee members, led by its chairman Charles Pyngrope, visited the Assembly. They met PAC chairman Arikepudi Gandhi and MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy. During the meeting, Gandhi briefed them about the functioning of the Assembly and welfare schemes being implemented here and developmental activities undertaken by the state government.