A man was detained on Wednesday for allegedly desecrating the century-old Shiva Lingam at the historic Draksharamam temple in Andhra Pradesh. The incident occurred early Tuesday on Vaikunta Ekadasi, sparking widespread concern among devotees and raising fears about communal tensions. The police identified the suspect as Neelam Srinivas, a resident of Thotapeta village.
District SP Rahul Meena told media that Srinivas was caught on CCTV near the Kapileswar Ghat at the time of the vandalism. Four special police teams conducted a manhunt and took him into custody for questioning. Initial investigations indicate a personal motive rather than a communal one, with reports suggesting Srinivas had a recent dispute with a temple priest over ritual practices. Officials said he may have acted out of anger or revenge against the temple administration.
A new Shiva Lingam was ceremoniously reinstalled soon after the attack to calm devotees and restore the sanctity of the site. High-definition CCTV cameras and increased police patrolling have now been set up permanently along the Sapta Godavari riverfront.
Ramachandrapuram DSP B Raghuveer told PTI, “A Shiva Lingam was vandalised near the Draksharamam temple. Upon receiving the information, we visited the spot, and the accused has been apprehended. A case has been registered, and investigation is underway.”
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure a transparent investigation and to punish those responsible. He spoke with Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, who confirmed that special police teams are probing the case, and assured that the chief minister would be updated on the investigation’s progress.
