A portion of the gopuram of the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagudi) of the ancient Chennakeshavaswamy temple managed by the Endowments Department was damaged late on Wednesday night, leading to a political furore over the incident on Thursday morning.
Deputy Superintendent of Police G. Veeraraghava Reddy told The Hindu that at 12.30 a.m. on Thursday, the police were informed by someone staying close to the temple near the Tadipatri bus stand in the old city that a portion of the gopuram was found damaged. When the police personnel went up the ladder and saw the damaged portion, there was none in the vicinity.
The limestone and brick structure was whitewashed for Vaikuntha Ekadasi till 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday and a police constable was stationed on the temple premises permanently after the East Godavari chariot incident, the DSP said. “There were no footprints to suggest someone from outside had come and did some mischief. We are also looking at all the CCTV footage available on the premises,” Mr. Veeraraghava Reddy said.
There was a possibility that the painters while climbing down the gopuram would have held portions of the structure for support which could have come off, said the DSP.
The police are questioning the four painters.
The temple executive officer lodged a police complaint.
Anantapur Urban MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy accompanied the DSP to the temple.
