Chennai: Tension erupted in Srisailam after a clash broke out between residents of Andhra Pradesh and devotees from Karnataka who came to visit the temple on Wednesday. In the clash, a Karnataka devotee suffered critical injuries and several shops and vehicles in the vicinity were destroyed.
The clash between the two groups started as an altercation near a tea shop in front of a local inn. However, within some time, the clash escalated into a fistfight and the locals started attacking a devotee from Karnataka with axe. In the impact, the man suffered critical injuries and was immediately rushed to Sunnipenta Government Hospital for treatment.
Angered by the turn of events, the friends of the victim created a ruckus near the temple and set fire to the local shops. They damaged temporary shops on the front lines of the administration building at Parala Ganga Nandi circle. They also destroyed several vehicles in the vicinity.
In order to control the escalating tension, Srisailam temple EO Lavanna who was observing the situation until then immediately spoke to Jagadguru chairperson Sri Sri Sri 1008 Chenna Siddarama Panditaradhya, Sivacharya and Karnataka Swamiji. With the help of the temple authorities and police, the EO brought the situation under control.
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However, the district administration also deployed heavy police patrol to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, hundreds of devotees from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana visit Srisailam Temple as the Ugadi festivities started from Wednesday.