A meeting with Ganesh festival organisers and committee members was held on August 23 at the local police station in Prodduturu, Andhra Pradesh. On this occasion, local DSP P. Bhavana, along with other police officers present, instructed the organisers about the arrangements and security measures that were intended to be taken, while appealing to society to co-operate.
However, more than seeking co-operation, DSP Bhavana’s statements in this regard came across as dictating orders, effectively speaking on behalf of the Muslim community and presenting their requests as instructions and directives from the police.
In a viral video, DSP Bhavana was seen reading aloud a list of directives that included curbs on sound systems, movement of processions, and the location of pandals near mosques. She further stated that pamphlets detailing the “Do’s and Don’ts” of the festival would be issued to organisers.
Muslims in Prodduturu conveyed ‘restrictions’ through Police.
Police giving ‘instructions’ to Hindus on how to celebrate our festival near Masjids. ‘Instructions’ are given to Hindus. No ‘instructions’ are given to them.
👉Hindus should reduce volume during their 5 times… pic.twitter.com/IZI67pxIhz
— Tathvam-asi (@tathvamasi6) August 24, 2025
According to the police directions, organisers must:
- Reduce sound volume during the five daily Muslim prayers.
- Switch off microphones and avoid loud music when processions pass within 100 metres of mosques.
- Submit applications and secure NOCs for pandals, with permissions liable to be denied if located near mosques.
- Follow pamphlets prescribing “Do’s and Don’ts” for festival conduct.
These diktats, widely seen as anti-Hindu restrictions, have sparked outrage among local residents. Hindus expressed strong resentment, alleging that the police acted at the behest of local Muslim groups, while their own rights and traditions were curtailed.
“For 365 days, mosque loudspeakers function without restriction. But for our nine-day festival, we are told to adjust. Is this fair in our own country?” asked one resident, calling the situation humiliating.
Community members further alleged that DSP Bhavana’s statements raise serious concerns about discrimination against Hindus, reducing them to “second-class citizens” in their own land. They demanded equal treatment for all communities and a rollback of the one-sided curbs.
In another incident, the Lakkireddypalli Police Station in Annamayya district issued a controversial order directing Hindus to conduct bhajans indoors, citing potential disturbances to Muslim Namaz prayers. The notice stated:
“For the protection of peace and law and order, you are hereby instructed to conduct your bhajan programs peacefully within your house without causing any disturbance to others.”
Lakkireddypalli: Police Order Restricts Hindu Bhajans
In March 2025, the Lakkireddypalli Police Station in Annamayya district issued a controversial order directing Hindus to conduct bhajans indoors, citing potential disturbances to Muslim Namaz prayers. The notice stated:
“For the protection of peace and law and order, you are hereby instructed to conduct your bhajan programs peacefully within your house without causing any disturbance to others.”
Stone pelting at temple procession at Rayachoti
On 4 March, Hindu devotees in Rayachoti conducted the annual Veerabhadraswamy procession with prior permission from authorities. The ritual, linked to the nearly 1,300-year-old temple, draws devotees from neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
As the procession reached Tana Junction around 6 PM, a group from a nearby mosque objected, questioning the police-escorted participation of Hindus. A mob of nearly 500 people gathered, issuing threats and creating panic, with one individual using a microphone to incite violence. Members of the crowd then pelleted stones at the devotees, turning the atmosphere chaotic and terrorising.
Andhra Pradesh: VHP demands withdrawal of false cases against Hindus after Muslim mob pelts stones at Rayachoti
Reports: Kunti Surender#AndhraPradesh @VHPDigital https://t.co/SVvJBih6Dq
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) March 11, 2025
Recently, the Tamil Nadu Police arrested two terrorists from Rayachoti through the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). According to police, the duo belonged to the ‘Al–Umma’ terror organisation and were wanted in multiple bomb blast cases in Tamil Nadu.
Police reports indicate that Siddique is an accused in the 1995 Nagur Police Station murder and explosives case, the Chintadripet bomb blast case, and the 2011 pipe-bomb planting attempt during Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra in Madurai. Mohammed Ali was wanted for his role in planting bombs, including one outside the Commissioner’s Office in Egmore, Chennai, in 1999.
In 1999, the accused were allegedly transporting explosives on the Cochin–Kurla Express when a fire broke out; they were intercepted at Kasargod in Kerala. Rayachoti police also arrested Abubacker Siddique’s wife, Sheikh Shameem. They were produced before a court in Rayachoti, which sent them to judicial custody.
On 17 August, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two residents from Anantapur district on suspicion of maintaining links with Pakistan-based terror outfits. The arrested individuals have been identified as Kothwal Noor Mohammed (40), a native of Dharmavaram town in Sri Sathya Sai district, and a 35-year-old woman from Tadipatri in Anantapur district.
In recent times, it has been consistently observed that the Rayalaseema region, particularly districts such as Anantapur, Kadapa, Annamayya, and towns like Madanapalli, Rayachoti, and Proddutur, have witnessed anti-Hindu activities. Local sources claim that the Rayalaseema region is being used as a shelter and sleeper-cell zone for terrorists, who are gradually attempting to brainwash local Muslims. They allege that statements from DSP Bhavana are not mere requests but appear to dictate terms for Hindus and their festive celebrations, raising serious concerns in the community.
