On 23rd September, at midnight, a scared temple chariot at Lord Rama’s in Hanakanahal village, Kanekal Mandal, Anantapur district, was set on fire, which left devotees furious at the blatant act of attacking their religious sentiments. The local police and fire services were notified by locals who witnessed the fire at the chariot shelter. The fire was contained after many hours. The chariot was partly burnt down in the incident.
The chariot, which was kept at the village’s Ramalayam, was partially burned in the fire, according to confirmation from local authorities. P. Jagadeesh, the district Superintendent of Police (SP), rushed to the location upon receiving the information and began the investigation. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravi Babu of Kalyandurg also went to Hanakanahal hamlet to examine the chariot and also asked the locals about the occurrence.
According to reports, the chariot had burned by the time villagers and fire service officials arrived. With the use of nearby CCTV footage, police are looking into the incident and making an effort to identify the offenders. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu has also expressed shock over the instance. Chief Minister Office (CMO) informed that he “condemned the heinous act” and vowed that, “this constitutes an assault on our culture and values, and such acts of desecration will not be tolerated.”
HCM has stated that this constitutes an assault on our culture and values, and such acts of desecration will not be tolerated. (2/4)
— CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) September 24, 2024
The office informed that he directed officials, including the District Collector and the SP, to visit the location right away and begin a comprehensive inquiry to apprehend the perpetrators as soon as possible. It further added, “He promised that the perpetrators of this vile act will face the full force of the law, and he shall personally oversee the investigation to ensure swift and decisive action.”
He promised that the perpetrators of this vile act will face the full force of the law, and he shall personally oversee the investigation to ensure swift and decisive action. (4/4)
— CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) September 24, 2024
The chief minister gave the officials instructions to regularly inform him of the investigation’s status and apprehend the culprits as soon as possible. A group consisting of three to four persons who are rivals of the donor of the temple chariot are being investigated by the authorities and the cops are collecting proof to apprehend them. The SP claimed that there was no communal angle to the incident.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh has been in the headlines after animal fat, including beef tallow, lard (pig fat) and fish oil, was found in the ghee used for the preparation of laddus at the prominent Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati under the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government which led to a major controversy. Notably, on 18th September Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration of using animal fat in making laddus served at the renowned Hindu temple during his address at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislative party meeting.
“They (YSRC government) not only provided substandard food to the devotees, such as Anna Prasadam in Tirumala, but also used inferior quality ingredients to make Prasadam, which is offered to Lord Venkateswara. Instead of using pure ghee, they used animal fat,” he charged. The chief minister further added, “Today, we are using pure ghee and cleansed the system in the temple. Quality of Prasadam and food have improved and steps are being taken to make further improvements.” His statement was eventually verified by the test report.
