Ramatheertham temple row: Ashok Gajapathi Raju booked for `assault, mischief'

Vizianagaram: Police on Thursday booked MANSAS chairman Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and others for disrupting the foundation stone laying ceremony at Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy temple in Ramatheertham.

On Wednesday, TDP leader and scion of Vizianagaram Royal Family Ashok Gajapathi Raju questioned the temple officials for not giving him prior information about the foundation stone laying ceremony as per the temple norms and traditions.

Raju also raised objections to the names on the foundation slate and tried to remove it. He also had heated arguments with the officials of the endowment department and YSRC leaders.

"Based on the complaint from temple executive officer DVV Prasad, we registered a case against Ashok Gajapathi Raju and a few others under Sections 427 (mischief causing damage) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," said sub-inspector of Nellimarla police station

On the other side, leaders of TDP accused YSRC Ministers of behaving like street rowdies at Ramatheertham. TDP leaders said how religious activities could be performed without a temple trustee.

Tension gripped Bodikonda after ruling party ministers ignored Vizianagaram Royal family scion Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and performed puja, and laid the foundation stone of Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy temple at Ramatheertham.

There was a scuffle between Ashok Gajapathi Raju and the officials when the former objected to the shabby treatment.

It may be recalled that after Lord Rama's idol at the temple was vandalized in January 2020, several Hindu organizations and opposition leaders staged protests across the state.

While BJP and TDP parties have launched a broadside against the YSR government, the ruling YSRC government alleged political conspiracy behind the attacks on temples in the state.

The AP government ordered a CID probe into the desecration and later the government formed a special investigation team (SIT).

The SIT has been investigating the decapitation of Lord Ram's idol, but no headway has been made so far. Probably it is the only and most mysterious case that SIT has taken up in its history