CM Jagan Mohan Reddy asks police not to spare anyone involved in temple attacks in Andhra

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the attacks on temples are being carried out systematically with evil political intentions.
BJP State president Somu Veerraju  being arrested during his visit to Ramatheertham. (Photo |Express)
BJP State president Somu Veerraju being arrested during his visit to Ramatheertham. (Photo |Express)

VIJAYAWADA/VIZIANAGARAM: Sending a clear message that his government will deal sternly with perpetrators of attacks on temples, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday directed police not to spare anyone behind the vandalisation of idols.

Speaking at length on the issue of attacks on temples in the State during the Spandana video conference with Collectors and Superintendents of Police of all the districts, Jagan reiterated that a political guerilla warfare is going on in the state and instructed the police to investigate thoroughly to ascertain as to who are behind the attacks on temples. 

“Find out who are behind the attacks, and how influential they are, do not hesitate to take action against them. Make the names of the perpetrators public and deal with them sternly so that they should fear to commit such offences in future,’’ he said.

The Chief Minister said the attacks on temples are being carried out systematically with evil political intentions. Temples in remote and isolated places are being targeted at night. The next day, the attacks hit the headlines in some TV channels and the Opposition parties try to gain mileage from them by making a hue and cry,” he said.

Reiterating what he said during the AP Police Duty Meet on Monday, Jagan stated that these incidents occurred around the time when some prestigious welfare schemes were launched in the State.  

“They are trying to divert public attention from government programmes by resorting to such incidents. Unable to face the government directly which is gaining popularity due to its welfare initiatives, some elements out of sheer jealousy are resorting to such attacks to defame the government,’’ Jagan said. 

The Chief Minister instructed the police to thwart the evil designs of mischievous elements after carefully analysing the situation. On the steps taken by his government to prevent attacks on temples, he said over 36,000 CCTV cameras were installed in temples in the State to step up surveillance. 

Sri Swatmanandendra Saraswati Swamy of Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham met the Chief Minister on Tuesday and urged him to speed up investigation into attacks on temples. The seer asked the police and endowments departments to coordinate with the committees of temples managed by private people and take steps to strengthen security to prevent attacks. 

A day after the probe into vandalisation of Rama idol at Ramatheertham temple was handed over to the CID, the sleuths of the investigating agency inspected the temple. Additional DG (CID) PV Sunil Kumar, who led the team, interacted with the temple priests and locals.

Sunil Kumar said that the intention behind the act was either to defame the government or get political mileage. 

A hacksaw blade was used to behead the idol and the perpetrators threw the decapitated head of the idol in a nearby pond. 

“No valuables or ornaments from the temple were stolen and it seems to be done with a clear political agenda,’’ he said. “We will investigate the matter from different angles,’’ he said. As the temple is situated on a hilltop, the perpetrators vandalised the idol in pursuance of a plan, he added.

BJP Yatra foiled, Somu fumes at police

The police foiled ‘Ramatheertham Dharma Yatra’  planned by the BJP-Jana Sena combine on Tuesday. BJP state president Somu Veerraju said when YSRC MP Vijayasai Reddy and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu were given permission to visit Ramatheertham, how can they prevent BJP leaders from visiting the desecrated temple.

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