ANANTAPUR: A priest fell from a hill top into a valley and died while offering pooja at Gampa Mallayya Konda in Singanamala mandal on Saturday.
The historic Gampa Mallya Swamy temple exists in a dense forest in Anantapur district. An idol of the presiding deity is atop a hill but the access is so poor that a priest has to walk down about 40 feet to offer poojas.
On the occasion of Shravana masam, many devotees gather for darshan of the deity. The 55-year-old temple priest Papayya Swamy, as per the custom, was walking down when he slipped and died on the spot. Although devotees rushed to the spot, they could not rescue the priest, who sustained multiple fractures and head injuries.
Videos of the entire episode went viral on social media. Devotees recalled that the priest, who was performing pooja in the temple for ten years, used to walk down without any support.
Singanamala police registered a case based on a complaint by devotees.
