Two youths were taken into police custody on Sunday on the charges of proselytisation at the Arandal Satram (choultry) maintained by the Kanaka Durga temple management. Police registered a case after the temple authorities lodged a complaint.
According to information, the two accused —P. Raju and Sandeep—belonging to a different religion, were working in the Kesakhandanasala of the temple under a contractor. The temple authorities got an anonymous phone call on Sunday that the youths were propagating another religion at the choultry.
Following a search by the authorities in the presence of police, scriptures belonging to a different religion were found from the room of the accused. Temple Executive Officer Ch. Narsing Rao said that the temple had rented out room no. 302 to the youths for a year. The accused claimed that they were not involved in any religious propagation, but admitted that they were offering prayers in their room.
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But, the EO said that such practice was prohibited at the choultry by law, adding that the police registered a case under Section 747 of the AP Propagation of Other Religions in Places of Worship or Prayer (Prohibition) Act 2007 which prohibits propagation of other religion in the notified areas of temples, he said.
The temple management suspended three staffers of the choultry--V. Janaki Devi (junior assistant), Bayana Srinivasa Rao (record assistant) and B. Veera Reddy (NMR)-- on the charges of dereliction of duties. The EO said that there was no proper supervision at the choultry.
The accused have been staying in a room at Arandal choultry on rent