The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tension in Cuddapah over temple row

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tension in Cuddapah over temple row

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, SEPT. 24. Armed A.P. Special Police personnel headed by a circle inspector of police were posted for bandobust and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the IPC were promulgated in the Almaspet area in Cuddapah town, where tension prevailed with some persons demanding removal of a temple built on a municipal site where a Ganesh idol was installed on Vinayaka Chavithi.

Police plea

Those demanding temple removal assembled on the road after Friday prayers this afternoon, but the Superintendent of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, and the Additional SP, M. Lakshmi Reddy, pacified them. The police officials promised to resolve the issue and advised both groups to exercise restraint.

On a complaint from a community, policemen tried to remove the structure on Thursday night but faced stiff resistance. While the Cuddapah MLA, Md. Ahmedullah, was holding discussions with people of a community, policemen removed a couple of cement bricks in the presence of the Cuddapah MRO, Venkateswarlu, which led to heated exchanges and arrest of a BJP activist, Siva, who was released on Friday.

Permission denied

Meanwhile the BJP State president, N. Indrasena Reddy, and district BJP leaders proposed to visit the temple on Friday, but the police denied them permission. The Joint Collector, G. Jayalakshmi, and the SP in a joint statement this evening, claimed that the tension cropping up on the temple issue in Almaspet subsided with the cooperation of the people and no untoward incidents occurred. They advised the people not to give credence to rumours. The Cuddapah DSP, M. Ramprasada Rao, said a peace committee meeting was convened with political and religious leaders at Sabha Bhavan in the Collectorate on Saturday under the leadership of the district Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, and the SP, Mr. Sajjanar. Meanwhile, the Cuddapah police registered a case of unauthorised construction on the municipality land, the DSP added.

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