VISAKHAPATNAM: The sanctity of the Simhachalam devasthanam seems to be getting defiled by the day and the latest to desecrate it is actor Pawan Kalyan, who entered the temple with his footwear on.
The power star, flanked by the unit of his soon-to-be-released Gabbar Singh, came down to Simhachalam from Tirupati to seek the blessings of Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy on Sunday, ahead of the film’s audio launch in Hyderabad.
There was a stamped as thousands of youngsters thronged the temple to have a glimpse of their screen idol.
Even the police failed to control the frenzied crowds. In a bid to stay away from them, Pawan Kalyan, director Harish Shankar and producer Bandla Ganesh Babu entered the temple without removing their footwear.
While a couple of enthusiastic photo journalists made an unsuccessful bid to capture the incident in their cameras, one of the security guards managed to take the actor’s footwear out of the temple premises.
When contacted, devasthanam executive officer Ch Narasinga Rao said the issue came to his notice and he will inquire into it since he wasn’t at the temple when the incident occurred.
Due to poor security arrangements made by the management of the temple, the police and the personal staff of Pawan failed in controlling the crowds, which created little commotion at the place and left the actor suffocated.
When contacted, devasthanam executive officer Ch Narasinga Rao told Expess that he is not sure if Pawan Kalyan had his footwear on while entering the temple.
But the devasthanam performed Samprokshna (cleaning of the temple) according to the Pancharatra customs in the afternoon.
“I was not at the temple that time and so I can’t comment. However, I’m inquiring into the issue and will initiate action against those who tarnished the devasthanam’s sanctity,” he affirmed.