ఉండి నియోజకవర్గం ఆకివీడు మున్సిపాలిటీ పరిధిలోని శ్రీరామనవమి సందర్భంగా అక్కడ ఉన్న పురాతన ఆలయానికి పూజకు వెళ్తున్న డిప్యూటీ స్పీకర్ శ్రీ కే రఘు రామకృష్ణ రాజు పై, కూటమి నాయకులపై కొందరు దాడి చేయడాన్ని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ నారా చంద్రబాబు నాయుడు తీవ్రంగా ఖండించారు. దశాబ్దాలుగా నిరాదరణకు…
— CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) March 27, 2026
Violence broke out in during Sri Rama Navami after Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker and Undi MLA Raghurama Krishna Raju visited a Rama temple in Pedapetam Akeevidu, West Godhavari District. The incident happened on March 27, when he went to the Sriramalayam temple along with devotees to offer prayers.
Speaking to the media, Raghurama Krishnam Raju said, “On the occasion of Sri Rama Navami festival, this morning I went to the Rama temple in Pedapeta of Akividu along with Rama devotees. Christians in the guise of Dalits, while I was having darshan of Bhagwan Rama, shouted loudly, and immediately after I left from there, they attacked the Rama devotees present at the temple with knives and made an attempt to murder many people.
Following the recent judgment given by the honourable Supreme Court, strict action must be taken immediately. On the day of a Hindu festival, in a Hindu temple, those who got these attacks carried out on Hindus must be punished strictly according to law.”
Police registered a case and named 58 people as accused. All 58 have been arrested and were produced before a court on March 28. Police added serious charges in the FIR, including attempt to murder under Section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which can lead to more than 10 years of punishment. Another section, 308(2), related to attempt to commit culpable homicide, was also added, along with other sections.
The Deputy Speaker later visited the injured in hospital and said such incidents should be stopped at the beginning itself. He asked for strict action and said those behind the attack must be punished.
The attackers allegedly used knives and sticks with nails. Several people were injured in the attack. One person suffered a nail injury to the head, and another was stabbed around 12 times and is now in serious condition in a hospital in Bhimavaram. The injured were first taken to Akividu Government Hospital.
AP Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu condemned the incident and said: “On the occasion of Sri Rama Navami, in Akividu Municipality limits of Undi constituency, when Deputy Speaker Shri K. Raghurama Krishnam Raju was going to the ancient temple there for prayers, some people attacked him and alliance leaders. The Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu strongly condemned this.
At a time when the Deputy Speaker, who has taken up the restoration of the Rama temple that has been neglected for decades, went for prayers, it is condemnable that some people, along with outsiders, resorted to an armed attack. At such a sacred time when the festival should be celebrated with devotion and faith, it is not right to act in a way that provokes social hatred.”
AP BJP President PVN Madhav condemned the incident and said, “This incident is a direct example of the negative consequences that occur due to religious conversions. Now these are the questions that are worrying the entire Hindu society: If religious conversion happens, will the history and culture of that area also change? Will the existence of ancient temples become questionable?
శ్రీరామనవమిని పురస్కరించుకుని పశ్చిమ గోదావరి జిల్లా, ఆకివీడు మండలం, పెద్దపేట గ్రామంలోని రామాలయాన్ని దర్శించుకోవడానికి వెళ్లిన రాష్ట్ర డిప్యూటీ స్పీకర్ @KRaghuRaju గారిపై, కూటమి నాయకులు, కార్యకర్తలు, భక్తులపై దాడి జరగడం అత్యంత ఆందోళనకరం.
దేవాలయ ప్రవేశాన్ని అడ్డుకోవడం, హింసకు… pic.twitter.com/o9Ar4t7A6t
— PVN Madhav (Modi Ka Parivar) (@MadhavBJP) March 27, 2026
The Akividu incident is a direct attack on Dharma. The BJP strongly condemns this. The government must respond immediately and take strict action against those who carried out the attack. Protection must be given to devotees, and steps must be taken for the protection of temples.”
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena President Pawan Kalyan also condemned the incident. He said an attack on devotees and leaders at a temple on a festival day is serious and should be investigated properly. He also said there may be a conspiracy behind it and asked police to take strict action. He wished for the injured to recover soon.
హిందువులు అత్యంత పవిత్రంగా జరుపుకొనే శ్రీరామ నవమి రోజున, ఆకివీడులో రామాలయానికి పూజలో పాల్గొనేందుకు వెళ్లిన గౌరవ శాసనసభ ఉప సభాపతి @KRaghuRaju గారిపై, ఆయన అనుచరులపై, జనసేన నాయకులపై కొంతమంది వ్యక్తులు ఆయుధాలతో దాడి చేయడం తీవ్రంగా ఖండిస్తున్నాను.
పండుగ రోజు, ఆలయం దగ్గర ఈ దాడి జరగడం…
— Deputy CMO, Andhra Pradesh (@APDeputyCMO) March 27, 2026
The incident comes after a dispute over the temple earlier this month. On March 8, Raghurama Krishnam Raju had visited the same temple and said he would renovate it. Some local Christian groups opposed this and said it would hurt their sentiments. On March 12, a Christian organisation criticised the MLA. On March 14, he clarified that the temple exists in government records from 1923 and said only cleaning work was being done.
Local Hindus, however, said the land records show it is a Rama temple and that it has been there for many years, spread over about 2.33 acres.
Police have increased presence in the area as tension remains. The investigation is going on, and officials are also looking into whether there was any larger plan behind the attack.
