ANANTAPUR: Special police teams were deployed to nab Prabhoda ashram’s controversial organiser Prabhodananda in connection with murder and other pending cases at Chinna Podamala in Tadipathri rural mandal in the district.
During the Ganesh immersion programme at Chinna Podamala, attacks between groups turned violent and a villager got murdered while many others suffered serious injuries. Several vehicles were also damaged. Prabhoda Ashram had also suffered loss following massive attack by J.C. group’s men.
The police authorities suspended DSP in-charge of Tadipathri B. Vijayakumar along with the circle inspector and sub inspector of Tadipathri rural mandal over their failure to tackle the situation where Chinna Podamala turned out as a war land soon after Anantapur MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy staged a protest near the Ashram, demanding action against the organisers.
Police teams relinquished most of the devotees who were from Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other parts who were staying on the premises of the ashram since the past few months.
Sources said that a group of devotees resisted the police for not permitting them to enter into the premises of the ashram at Chinna Podamala and they were forcibly sent back to their native places to avoid untoward incidents.
Following controversies between the JC and ashram groups, police initiated serious steps to restore normalcy in Tadipathri area. Police launched a hunt to nab Prabhodananda and his two sons in connection with the pending cases. The main organiser has been rarely visiting the ashram and was reportedly spending most of the time in other states.
