Temple EO faints amid land encroachment clash at Bhadrachalam temple in AP

The incident has sparked public outrage, with devotees demanding prompt intervention by both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to safeguard the sacred property.

Kothagudem: The long-standing issue of illegal encroachment on lands belonging to Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam, located in Purushothapatnam of Yetapaka mandal in Andhra Pradesh, resurfaced this week after temple officials faced resistance and physical confrontation from encroachers for a second consecutive day.

Temple authorities alleged that police and revenue officials from both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have failed to cooperate in protecting the temple’s lands. Their repeated efforts to reclaim the encroached properties have been met with hostility, with encroachers reportedly clashing with officials during inspections.

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Over the past few days, temple staff have been visiting the village, urging the occupants to vacate the temple land. On Monday, Executive Engineer Ravinder and his team were forced to retreat after being confronted by locals. A similar situation unfolded on Tuesday when Temple Executive Officer (EO) L Rama Devi, accompanied by other officials, visited the site to stop unauthorised constructions.

Tensions escalated during the visit, as villagers occupying the land engaged in heated arguments with temple officials and police. The situation turned chaotic when pushing and jostling began, leading to the EO fainting during the melee. He was immediately shifted to Bhadrachalam Area Hospital for treatment.

Officials said the temple owns over 880 acres in Purushothapatnam, a significant portion of which has been encroached upon by villagers. The incident has sparked public outrage, with devotees demanding prompt intervention by both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to safeguard the sacred property.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) unit in Bhadrachalam condemned the attack on temple staff, including the EO and priests, stating that both state governments share responsibility for protecting temple lands.

Endowments Minister Konda Surekha expressed serious concern over the incident and warned of stringent action against encroachers. She stated that the Preventive Detention (PD) Act would be invoked if temple lands continue to be encroached upon. The Minister also spoke to the EO over the phone and reviewed the situation.