Devotees have stated that filing cases against Ayyappa devotees is widely viewed as an attempt to intimidate and silence them. They emphasized that officers involved in such actions should respect the religious sentiments of Hindus and avoid showing favoritism.
On December 25, 2024, during an Ayyappa Swami Puja at Mutyalamma Gudi in Kandlakoya village, Medchal district, Telangana, local Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar intervened, citing a sound pollution complaint from a nearby church during Christmas celebrations. The officer entered the puja premises with footwear and ordered the suspension of devotional songs, actions that have been widely condemned as disrespectful and insensitive to Hindu religious practices, sparking outrage among devotees.
Reports indicate that the police intervention, justified as addressing noise concerns, has been perceived as an overreach, with the Hindu community criticizing the officer’s behavior as a violation of their religious sanctity.
Devotees at the venue accused the officer of overreach, alleging that his actions violated the sanctity of their rituals. A video of the incident went viral on social media, with many highlighting the officer’s behavior as arrogant and disrespectful.
The situation escalated further when the police filed an FIR against Ayyappa devotees, accusing them of obstructing the officer’s duties. The FIR, filed under Section 132 of the BNS Act, has intensified the community’s anger, with many perceiving it as an attempt to intimidate and silence them.
On December 26, Hindu devotees staged a dharna, demanding justice and urging authorities to take action against the officer. The incident has sparked heated debates over police insensitivity toward religious practices and alleged bias in handling such cases.
Ravinder, a devotee at the venue, lodged a formal complaint with the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Medchal, on December 26, demanding strict action against the officer for his conduct. The protestors called for suspension of the accused police officer for his unruly behavior towards Ayyappa devotees.
Speaking with Organiser Weekly, Dr. Shashidhar, VHP spokesperson, expressed concern over the police’s selective approach towards Hindu festivals while remaining silent on noise complaints related to non-Hindu festivals. He described this as a deceitful tactic by the complainants and police favoritism, which is deeply troubling. Furthermore, he noted that when devotees requested the officer to respect the rituals and the sanctity of the puja premises, the officer responded by filing a case, which he views as an attempt to threaten and silence the complainants.
Meanwhile, a troubling incident unfolded at the famous Sri Raja Rajeswara in Vemulawada, when miscreants distributed non-vegetarian food packets within the temple premises on December 25. The food packets were labeled with a “Happy Christmas” tag, further aggravating the situation.
Local Hindus outraged by this disrespectful act, immediately complained to the police, expressing serious concerns about the violation of Hindu sentiments. The issue was quickly brought to the attention of Temple Executive Officer (EO) Vinod, who ordered temple priests to conduct a Somprokshana ceremony to purify the temple grounds.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sri Rajashwari Temple in Vemulawada.
Speaking with Organiser, Pratapa Ramakrishna, BJP President of Rajanna Sircilla district, condemned the distribution of food packets labeled with “Happy Christmas,” calling it a tactic of Christian evangelism to test the waters before taking further action. He stated that Vemulawada, a sacred temple town, has long been a target of such efforts. “Distributing food on Christmas Day is like testing the waters before they act,” he remarked. Ramakrishna emphasized that they immediately filed a complaint with the police and urged for continuous monitoring of any attempts by Christian evangelists to undermine the sanctity of the temple premises.
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