Ten Additional Suspects Detained for Assault on Chilkur Balaji Temple Priest
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Synopsis
The Cyberabad police have arrested 10 more individuals in connection with the violent attack on the head priest of Chilkur Balaji Temple, C. S. Rangarajan. This brings the total arrests to 16 as the police continue to pursue additional suspects.
Key Takeaways
- 10 additional suspects arrested.
- Rangrajan was assaulted on February 7.
- Raghava Reddy is the main accused.
- Police continue to search for absconding suspects.
- Rama Rajyam Army aims to protect Hindu Dharma.
Hyderabad, Feb 13 (NationPress) The Cyberabad police have apprehended 10 additional suspects in relation to the assault on Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest C. S. Rangarajan.
The detained individuals hail from Srikakulam and East Godavari districts in Andhra Pradesh and Bhadrachalam town in Telangana.
This brings the total number of suspects arrested in this case to 16. The police continue to search for other suspects who remain at large.
Among those previously arrested is the founder of the Rama Rajyam organization and the primary suspect, Kovvuri Veer Raghava Reddy.
Raghava Reddy, a resident of Manikonda in Hyderabad and originally from East Godavari, along with the other suspects, has been placed in judicial custody.
He was arrested on February 10 following a complaint lodged by the priest.
According to the police report, on February 7, a group of 20-25 individuals dressed in black uniforms unlawfully entered Rangarajan's residence in Chilkur, near Hyderabad, and assaulted him. They demanded his financial support for their organization and urged him to recruit members for the “Rama Rajyam Army”. The incident was reported to the police on February 8.
Police stated that Veer Raghava Reddy initiated “Rama Rajyam” in 2022 through social media platforms, including Facebook, and has a YouTube channel where he shares Bhagavad Gita verses and encourages others to join the Army to uphold Hindu Dharma. He also announced that individuals registering between September 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, would be enlisted in the “Rama Rajyam Army” with a monthly salary of Rs 20,000.
In response to his announcement, 25 members initially met with the accused on January 24, 2025, in Tanuku.
After a four-day stay, they traveled to Kotappakonda, where they contributed Rs 2,000 each and had uniforms made by a local tailor. On February 6, after receiving the uniforms, they gathered in a private residence in Yapral, Hyderabad, to take photos and videos in their uniforms against the organization's backdrop. The following day, they went to Chilkur in three vehicles and assaulted Rangarajan.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy spoke with Rangarajan over the phone on February 10 to offer his support. Several ministers also reached out to the priest.
The Chief Minister emphasized that such attacks on priests are unacceptable and instructed police officials to take decisive action against those responsible for the assault on the prominent temple's chief priest.
