In Andhra Pradesh, Anantapuram police have arrested an individual accused of setting fire to the holy chariot of Sri Ramula. The incident, which occurred in the village of Hanakanahal within the Kanekallu mandal of Rayadurgam Constituency, prompted a swift response from the police. Earlier, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also ordered a high-level investigation into the incident.
According to police reports, the chariot, which was kept in a shed, was set ablaze after assailants broke the lock on Monday. The issue came to light after the local residents raised an alarm, and villagers managed to control the flames, as reported by The Hindu. However, the front portion of the chariot suffered significant damage.
On Wednesday, District Superintendent of Police P. Jagadeesh provided details about the investigation. He revealed that the suspect, identified as Ishwar Reddy, was arrested based on leads from the dog squad. The police have clarified that there is no political or religious motivation behind the act.
The chariot, reportedly built at a cost of around 20 lakh rupees by the family of Erriswamy Reddy, has been a point of contention in the village. While the Reddy family made the chariot with assistance from their relatives, they did not solicit contributions from the community, leading to tensions among villagers.
Authorities believe that these underlying tensions may have contributed to the incident. Ishwar Reddy, who has been identified as a leader within the YSR Congress Party, is currently in police custody, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds.
However, the incident has come at a time of serious contention over the alleged substandard products used in the making of Tirupati laddu prasadam. Earlier, CM Naidu alleged that animal fat was mixed with ghee used to make laddu prasadam during the previous YSRCP government. However, YSRCP chief Jagan Reddy denied the allegation and called it a "false propaganda". He alleged that the CM made it with a 'political motive'.