ANANTAPUR: Rayadurg Legislator M. Govinda Reddy of TDP and six others were arrested by D. Hirehal police near Obulapuram village in the district on Tuesday, when they allegedly tried to enter the area of a mining company where a temple was demolished on September 2, as prohibitory orders were in force.

Rayadurg Circle Inspector M. Padmakar Reddy stated that Mr. Govinda Reddy and six of his followers were arrested when they violated prohibitory orders by entering the area.

They were kept in D.Hirehal police station for about two hours and were later released on personal surety.

The TDP legislator and his followers went to the area to examine whether the mining activity was in progress on the site where the temple was demolished.

It may be mentioned here that a temple constructed 16 years ago by a mining company owner for Sunkulamma, a deity of tribals, located on a hillock having rich reserves of iron ore near Obulapuram village of D.Hirehal mandal in the district was allegedly demolished by unidentified persons by planting explosives around it in the wee hours of September 2.

Political colour

The incident has assumed political importance both in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, as the temple was located just a stone's throw away distance from the inter-State border. A tower indicating the inter-State border was also demolished a couple of years by unidentified persons, allegedly to enable the mining companies operating in the area to unearth the iron ore underneath the area.

Separate cases were registered on the incident in D.Hirehal and Bellary rural police stations.

In the case registered in Bellary police station on a complaint lodged by one Mangu Naik, claiming to be the priest of the temple, and residents of Honnalli thanda of Bellary district Managing Director of mining companies G. Ramachandra Reddy and its Director and Karnataka MLC G. Janardhana Reddy of BJP and others were named.

In the case registered in D.Hirehal, on a complaint lodged by one Reddy Naik of H.Siddapuram claiming himself to be the priest of the temple, S.K. Modi of Bellary Mining Company, Kurugodu (Karnataka) MLA Suryanarayana Reddy and M.P. Ravindra, son of M.P. Prakash, Home Minister of Karnataka, were named as those responsible for the demolition.

The Bellary police arrested six persons two days back on the charges of planting explosives to blast the temple.

The incident assumed political colour in Karnataka as Mr. Janardhan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy Gowda had taken Rs. 150 crores as bribe from the mining companies in Bellary district.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail