Tension grips Srirangam temple as Ayyappa devotees from A.P., security staff clash

Tense moments at Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam after altercation between temple security staff & Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh. 3 staff booked. Devotees staged dharna at Gayathri Mandapam, police intervened. BJP State president condemned incident & protested.

Tense moments prevailed at the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam on Tuesday after a few temple security staff members and Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh came to blows following an altercation. Three temporary security staff members at the temple have been booked in this connection.

A group of about 30 Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh had arrived in Srirangam to offer prayers. Around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, the devotees were waiting in a queue at the Gayathri Mandapam to offer worship.

Irked over the queue moving at a snail’s pace, some devotees from Andhra Pradesh started banging on the hundial, forcing a member of the security staff to intervene, the temple authorities said. However, a quarrel between them ensued, in which some of the devotees dragged a temple security staff member and attempted to bang his head against the hundial, the authorities claimed.

This led to exchange of blows in which one of the devotees sustained a bleeding injury to the nose. Another devotee, too, was injured. A temple official said three security staff members were admitted to hospital. 

Subsequently, other devotees staged a dharna at the Gayathri Mandapam’ near the sanctum sanctorum, which was intervened by the police.

Following the incident, the sanctum sanctorum was closed and blood stains at the Gayathri Mandapam were cleaned. Punyajanam was performed, following which the darshan resumed.

The devotees, in a petition, said they were attacked in front of a police constable. The petition sought action against three persons.