This story is from February 14, 2020

Temple chariot gutted in fire in Nellore

The chariot of Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple in Nellore district was gutted in fire in the wee hours on Friday. The incident created ripples among the devotees as the locals were gearing for Bramhotsavam festivities to be held from March 4.
Temple chariot gutted in fire in Nellore
Representative image
NELLORE: The chariot of Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple in Nellore district was gutted in fire in the wee hours on Friday. The incident created ripples among the devotees as the locals were gearing for Bramhotsavam festivities to be held from March 4.
The temple authorities organize Rathotsavam during the Rathotsavam.
Locals suspected that some miscreants were behind the incident as there was no chance for the chariot catching fire accidentally.

Sources said that the locals noticed fire from the hilltop and alerted the police. The ancient wooden chariot was completely burnt and turned into coal pieces before the devotees and police reached the spot. Devotees were shocked to see the ancient chariot getting burnt before the big festivities. They noted that it was not a good sign for the state as well as the area to witness such incidents.
Police launched the search for the miscreants as locals raised strong suspicion that someone might have deliberately set the fire under the chariot. Local SI Bharath Kumar said that they would investigate the incident.
The Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple is one of the ancient temples of Lord Balaji in the state and it was located on the hilltop in Konda Bitragunta village near Bitragunta town of Bogulu mandal in Nellore district.

Local legislator Ramireddy Pratap Kumar Reddy visited the spot and asked the police to nab the offenders. He promised the villagers to take measures to renovate the temple chariot before the Rathotsvam festivities.
Meanwhile, endowments minister Vellamapalli Srinivas directed the officials to take immediate action on the incident. Minister asked the endowments principal secretary Usha Rani to visit the place and personally monitor the investigation as such incidents are likely to hurt the sentiments of the devotees. Srinivas had also called up the Nellore SP Bhaskar Bhushan to form special teams to nab the offenders. He said that the chief minister Jagan had also expressed his serious displeasure over the incident and directed him to take measures to protect the sentiments of the devotees.
BJP leaders strongly condemned the incident saying that such incidents were taking place in the state only due to the laxity in the police administration to crack the whip against the culprits.
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