Tantric rituals at Srikalahasti Temple: AP endowments minister orders probe

TIRUPATI: Following the arrest of five Tamil Nadu-based devotees and an assistant executive officer working at the

Srikalahasti Temple

in

Chittoor district

on charges of conducting tantric rituals on Tuesday, state endowments minister

Vellampalle Srinivas

ordered probe into the incident on Wednesday.

According to

Srikalahasti

rural police, villagers of Vedam near Srikalahasti informed them that some unidentified persons were performing tantric rituals at the ancient Kalabhairava Swamy Temple in Bhairavakona around midnight on Amavasya.

Srikalahasti police arrested the five persons while they were still performing pujas at the temple. On further questioning, the devotees revealed that they belong to Tamil Nadu and they were guided by Srikalahasti Temple AEO Dhanapal to perform tantric rituals at the Kalabhairava Swamy Temple here. It is being alleged that some security guards working at the Srikalahasti Temple also assisted the accused in performing the rituals at the ancient temple.

Along with the five devotees, Srikalahasti police also arrested AEO Dhanapal and shifted all of them to the Srikalahasti rural police station.

Meanwhile, AP endowments minister Vellampalle Srinivas ordered a detailed probe and directed the department officials to submit a report within 24 hours.

It is learnt from Srikalahasti Temple sources that AEO Dhanapal was suspended for conducting such rituals in the past too.

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