Mangamma temple a flash point for two states

Police teams rushed to the village and investigated the incident. Later, the cops called both the parties and asked them to approach ITDA officials to solve the problem. Interestingly, the temple is on the borders of Khammam and West Godavari districts. The temple is located in Telangana and the shops and parking place are in Andhra Pradesh.

People from the area perform puja to Goddess Gubbala Mangamma during the festivals. The tribals from West Godavari and Khammam district are regular visitors to the temple.

The devotees offer coconuts and hair to the Goddess and the temple is being run by the some local committee with tribals of both West Godavari and Khammam districts. The forest department took the initiative in constituting the committee to run the temple. Some 20 members are being paid salaries with the income of the temple.

But, the income of the temple enhanced recently and differences surfaced between the committee members. Later, the internal squabbles have widened and it took local and non-local colour after the state was bifurcated.

Some of the members of the committee refused to share the temple revenue with the members belonging to Kamavaram and Pandirimamidi villages under Buttaigudem mandal in West Godavari by arguing that these members do not belong to Telangana.

With this, these members with the help of others raided the temple and seized the coconuts. They thrashed some tribals who were on temple duties. Forest department was asked not to interfere in the case and handed it over to the ITDA because it is a sensitive issue between tribals of the two states.