Vijayawada: Minister for endowments Manikyala Rao on Saturday relieved A. Surya Kumari of duties as executive officer of Sri Durga Malleswara Devastanam and transferred her. The decision was taken after he met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. As per the orders of the Chief Minister, the EO had been transferred, the Minister said. Commissioner of endowment Anuradha would look after the temple management as in charge. The Chief Minister had ordered full-fledged inquiry, which would continue in the absence of Surya Kumari, he added.
Even as the ritual pooja allegation had not been proved as yet, that persons from outside were allowed into the temple was a serious issue and the EO was solely responsibility for that, was the government’s stand. The inquiry committee set up by the endowment department had taken the views of 40 persons over the last two days, including that of chief priest Badrinath and his nephew Raja. The team observed the CCTV footage, interacted with the EO and other officials and submitted its report to Anuradha. Commissioner of Police Gowtham Sawang also submitted his report to the Chief Minister.
