On Tuesday (14th November), the Andhra Pradesh Police filed a police complaint against members of local churches in the city of Chittoor for using the sacred Hindu Temple tank to convert local Hindus to Christianity. The complaint was filed after some of the locals complained that the church authorities had performed baptism on Hindus at the Pushkarini of Venugopala Swamy temple on Monday (13th November).
The incident is said to have happened in the Karvetinagaram village of Chittoor district. The video of the said incident has gone viral over the internet in which people can be seen gathered around the Skanda Pushkarini of Venugopala Swamy Temple. Notably, the temple is administered by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state spokesperson P. Bhanuprakash Reddy took cognizance of the incident and demanded appropriate legal action against the church authorities. The leader directed the local police to identify the church individuals who were seen performing baptism on Hindus in the sacred Hindu temple tank while converting them to Christianity.
According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, Reddy visited the temple on 14th November and sought action against the accused. He suggested that pastors be prosecuted under GOs 746 and 747 for violating the sacredness of religious places. He demanded that all TTD and Hindu shrines undergo a comprehensive security audit. “Stringent security measures must be implemented to maintain public order and communal harmony,” he said.
According to Bhanuprakash Reddy, the BJP has filed a complaint with TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy in this matter. He emphasized that the EO has assured them that those accountable for the attempted religious conversion at the Devasthanam temple will face legal action.
At present, the Karvetinagaram police have filed an FIR (Cr. No: 87/2023) against the local church authorities based on the complaint filed by the local Hindus. Further investigations in the case are underway.