VISAKHAPATNAM: Another act of vandalising a holy place has taken place at Komalamma temple close to Vantlamamidi near Paderu in the agency area of Visakhapatnam district on Friday. The incident comes close on the heels of Lord Rama’s statue being decapitated on Tuesday at Ramateertha village in Nellimarla mandal of neighbouring Vizianagaram district.
According to information, miscreants vandalised deity Komalamma’s padalu (feet) on the ghat road, which is adjacent to the famous Modakondamma temple. According to local tradition, devotees first offer prayers to Modakondamma and then seek blessings from her younger sister Komalamma.
Devotees who went there on Friday morning to have darshan of Komalamma’s padalu on occasion of the New Year were shocked to find the feet vandalised. They took pictures and posted them on social media, leading to the news going viral.
Modakondamma is the main tribal deity of Paderu region. Believed to be the Shakti Peetham of the region, lakhs of people, both tribals and non tribals, participate in the fete held for the deity every summer.
District unit of the CPI (M) has strongly condemned the Ventlamamidi incident. It demanded that the government quickly identify and punish those responsible for the desecration. Party district secretary K. Lokanadham said certain forces are conspiring to disturb peace in the region, as the incident has happened soon after the Lord Rama’s statue was vandalised in Vizianagaram district.
Senior police officials said efforts are on to identify people who vandalised the Komalamma temple.
Meanwhile, Vizianagaram police said they have traced a suspect involved in decapitating Lord Rama’s statue at Ramateertha. All the accused in the case will be arrested soon, police maintained.
