The Cyberabad police in Hyderabad Sunday arrested a man who allegedly attacked and threatened Chilkur Balaji temple chief priest C S Rangarajan at his home. The alleged attack occurred on February 7 and came to light on Sunday after the chief priest’s father and Temples Protection Movement convenor M V Soundararajan reached out to the media.
He said a group claiming to establish its “version of Rama Rajya by forming private armies to punish those who do not accept their mission or agenda” was behind the attack.
https://t.co/B5WsKMzfkM pic.twitter.com/51CU1kLRJ4
— Rangarajan chilkur (@csranga) February 9, 2025
According to the Moinabad police, the group wanted Rangarajan’s patronage and financial contribution to establish Rama Rajya. “We have arrested the main accused, Veera Raghava Reddy, who leads Rama Rajya Sainyam. He is remanded in judicial custody,” Inspector G Pavan Kumar Reddy told indianexpress.com.
“The main accused calls himself the ruler of the sainyam (army) spread across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and that his word alone should be followed. The group is eight years old and has warned Rangarajan to accept their mission before the Ugadi festival or face consequences,” the inspector added. The main accused allegedly wanted Rangarajan to spread the message of “dharma rakshana” just like priests of other religions do.
Rangarajan, in his complaint, said about 20 people barged into his house in Chilkur and assaulted him. (Screengrab of the video on social media)
Rangarajan, in his complaint, said about 20 people barged into his house in Chilkur and assaulted him. Rangarajan, who was alone at his home when the alleged attack happened, suffered internal injuries and was taken to hospital. He is safe and continuing the family service of the Chilkur Balaji deity, his father Soundararaan said.
“A few people who proclaimed themselves as the descendants of the Ikshwaku clan and want to form Rama Rajya in which they create private armies to punish the people who do not accept their mission or agenda have not understood the concept of constitutional Rama Rajya that is established as above. My son declined to get associated with them,” Soundararajan said.
ధర్మరక్షకులు దాడులు చేస్తారు…
రాజ్యాంగ రక్షకులు చూస్తూ కూర్చుంటారు 👏🏼Chilkur temple chief priest and a great scholar Shri Rangarajan garu was attacked two days ago by fringe elements.
Not a word from the protectors of Hinduism on this act of cowardice
There are videos of the…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) February 10, 2025
Several videos are circulating online where Rangarajan with folded hands could be seen surrounded by a group of men in black clothes and saffron scarfs. The alleged attack on the chief priest evoked outrage on social media. Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president and MLA K T Rama Rao asked what the Telangana government did after coming to know of the videos that had been online for two days. He also said there had been “not a word from the protectors of Hinduism on this act of cowardice”.
