Kakinada: Kakinada former corporator Siriyala Chandra Rao assaulted two priests at the ancient Lord Bhimeswara temple over a dispute on offering milk to the Shiva Linga on Monday on the auspicious Pournima.
Sources said Rao, a frequent visitor, he offered milk and other puja items to assistant priest P. Venkata Satya Sai to perform Abhishekam.
Sources said he was not satisfied with the priest offering milk, and slapped him. When another priest, M. Vijaya Kumar, stepped in, Chandra Rao slapped him too. persuaded him, but he attacked the priest.
The two priests lodged a complaint with temple executive officer (EO) R. Rajeswara Rao and inspector Phanindra Kumar. The EO lodged a complaint with One Town police who registered a case.
The Brahmin Associations strongly condemned the incident. Rasthriya Brahmin Chaitanya Vedika president S. Sridhar said that there had been an increase in the number of attacks on priests in several temples and asked the government to take action against the accused. He said that unless the police arrest the accused in this incident, the Brahmin community would launch an agitation.
Brahmin Association leader Dh. Sambasiva Rao said that he had taken the issue to the notice of deputy commissioner Vijaya Raj and others. He claimed the district endowment officer did not respond positively.
