KOPPAL: The tomb of erstwhile ruler of Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya at Anegundi has been turned into a mutton market.
With tourists making it viral on social media, people of Anegundi have expressed their anger at those selling meat on the premises of the tomb.
Many historians and monument lovers have requested the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to stop the sale of mutton on the tomb premises and rejuvenate the spot.
Sri Krishnadevaraya’s tomb has 64 columns and is on the banks of the Tungabhadra. It is popular among the tourists who visit Hampi.
Some organisations in Koppal, Gangavati and Anegundi have planned to hold a meeting soon to take a decision to launch a protest against converting the tomb premises into a mutton market and neglecting other monuments in the region.
Krishnadevaraya, a descendant of Sri Krishnadevaraya’s family, termed this development disturbing. “We have appealed to the departments concerned to act against those who try to destroy the monuments at Anegundi and other places in and around Hampi,” he said.
In his post, Vijayapura MLA Basavaraj Patil Yatnal stated that if the ASI can protect Aurangzeb’s tomb, why can’t it protect Sri Krishnadevaraya’s?
Meanwhile, Koppal superintendent of police Ram L Arasiddi said the local police have not received any complaint on the sale of mutton on the tomb premises. However, they will look into the matter and initiate action.