Chilkur Balaji Temple Head Priest Attacked at Home; One Arrested

by IANS | Mon, Feb 10, 2025, 11:33 AM

Hyderabad, Feb (IANS) Unidentified persons attacked Chilkur Balaji Temple’s head priest C. S. Rangarajan two days ago at his house near Hyderabad over "a religious issue", according to a complaint filed with the police on Sunday.

Moinabad police on Sunday arrested a person in connection with the attack. He was identified as Veera Raghava Reddy. Police said efforts were on to apprehend other accused.

According to the complaint filed by Rangarajan with Moinabad police, 20 persons barged into his house at Chilkur, adjacent to Chilkur Balaji Temple and manhandled him on February 7.

Temples Protection Movement convenor Soundararajan, who is the father of Rangarajan, said that a few individuals, who proclaimed themselves as the descendants of the Ikshwaku clan, wanted to form the Ram Rajya and alleged that they created private armies to punish people who did not accept their mission or agenda and did not understand the concept of constitutional Rama Rajya. The head priest of Chilukur Balaji Temple declined to get associated with them.

|They seriously manhandled my son Shri Rangarajan who is also Archaka of Shri Chilkur Balaji Deity. They landed blows on him in our house at Chilkur which is adjacent to Shri Chilkur Balaji temple premises on Feb 7th Friday," Soundararajan said in a statement.

He said that Rangarajan filed a complaint with the police, who are investigating the matter. “The police have been requested to go deep into the matter and identify the elements who are supporting them directly and indirectly,” said Soundararajan.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Dasoju Sravan Kumar has condemned the attack on the head priest of Chilkur Balaji Temple. He demanded the Director General of Police to take immediate and strict action against the culprits.

"He is a revered scholar and noble soul, tirelessly dedicated to protecting spiritual values, sanatana dharma, and social justice that he deeply believes in. Such a selfless and socially sensitive individual deserves the highest respect, not violence," said Sravan Kumar.