Damage to idols at Singarayakonda: Prakasam police arrest journalists for disinformation

Ongole : The Prakasam district police arrested journalists and others for broadcasting news and sharing information about the damage to Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy idols at Singarayakonda, in the name of spreading lies and rumours of conspiracy in the incident.

Additional SP B Ravichandra said in a statement on Wednesday that strict measures are being taken for the security of temples and religious places of worship in the district as per the directions of Prakasam District SP Siddharth Kaushal.

He said that Singarayakonda police arrested Maddasani Moulaali, journalists Ambati Siva Kumar of Bahujana Media, Sagi Srinivasa Rao of Dharmavyuham newspaper, Popuri Kiran of ABN Andhrajyothi, Sk Basha of NTV, Katragadda Rammohan of HMTV under Sections 120(B), 295(A), 504 r/w 34 IPC for spreading falsehoods on social media and spreading lies on television and hurting the sentiments of devotees based on the rumours spread by a local that the hands of the idols of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy were damaged by unknown miscreants.

Another case with the same sections and under Section 16 of Cable Network Act is registered on some people belonging to YouTube channels and reporters of ABN, TV5, ETV, and legal action will be taken against them for posting conspiratorial posts on social media and broadcasting fallacious news on television regarding the said incident, the additional SP added.

Ravichandra said that as per the complaint and statement by the temple EO Bhairagi, the idols of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and Goddess on the arch were built with cement about 20 years ago, and the right hands of them were already broken and cement was blown off in the meantime but on January 5.

The additional SP said that the EO informed them that the arch was supposed to repair last year, as they do every year, but was postponed due to the Corona pandemic.

He said that in the wake of recent incidents taking place in temples across the State, the district police have tightened security at temples, prayer halls, security, continuous surveillance, patrolling and day and night vigil system and special vigilance in civilian clothes in all temples across the district.

He appealed to the public to provide information to concerned police or Dial-100 as soon as they know the details of thugs, suspicious persons' movements, and making false propaganda.