Durga temple trust board member, barbers lock horns

Vijayawada: A dispute between a member of Durga temple trust board and barbers turned into yet another controversy on the temple premises on Friday. The devotees faced inconvenience for two hours due to the incident and the drama ended when the barbers were arrested by police.

The tension prevailed when the barbers raised their voice in unison against the member of temple trust board and staged a protest. Similarly, the devotees also staged a protest venting their ire against the controversy.

Earlier, trust board member E Penchalaiah stopped some relatives of the temple barbers when they were entering the temple for darshan without entry ticket. He also asked them to buy tickets. The issue turned into controversy between the Trust Board member and the barbers.

Moreover, the trust board member also alleged that the barbers were collecting money additionally from devotees which was against the temple rules when the devotees offer their hair. The Trust Board member and barbers had a heated argument.

The barbers alleged that the board member abused them naming their caste and also slapped a barber. Later, the barbers staged the protest by boycotting their duties. They also raised slogans against the trust board member.

However, the members of the trust board, including Chairman Y Gouranga Babu and officials of the temple, came to the spot and pacified them to stop the protest. Meanwhile, the devotees also staged the protest for causing inconvenience to them.

Following the developments, One Town police took some members of the barbers association into their custody. Eventually, the incident was solved nearly after two hours drama.