Hyderabad: The city police have placed Swami Paripoornananda, head of Kakinada’s Sri Peetham, under house arrest on Monday ahead of his 40-km ‘Darmika Chaitanya Yatra’ from the Shiva temple in Boduppal to Yadadri, to the chanting of ‘Sri Rama Sankeertanas’. The seer was to lead the march against those making “anti-Hindu” statements. Following the denial of permission for the yatra, which was to end on July 11, a large number of his followers and members of different Hindu organisations gathered near his house, police said.
A huge contingent of police was deployed in Jubilee Hills and officials prevented the peetham head from coming out of the house to take part in the yatra. Police said some anti-social elements were contemplating to take advantage of the situation and disturb the public peace by indulging in illegal acts.
The swami had recently demanded the arrest of film critic Kathi Mahesh for his alleged statements against Hindu deities. “Permission for holding agitations against Mahesh’s statements was not given in any part of the state and only the swami has been placed under house arrest," said additional DCP, West, M. Venkateshwarlu.
He said about 20 members of different organisations were taken into preventive custody when they tried to hold a protest over the issue. “The yatra may cause a serious threat to public tranquility and law and order problem. In view of these circumstances, and also in the interest of safety of public, we have cancelled permission for them to proceed,” a police official said.
