Attack on Chilkur Balaji Temple Priest Sparks Concern Over Extremist Ideologies

HYDERABAD: The recent attack on Chilkur Balaji Temple’s head priest, Rangarajan, has raised concerns over growing religious extremism. The Moinabad police arrested the prime accused, Veera Raghava Reddy, on Sunday (February 9, 2025), while efforts are underway to apprehend other suspects involved in the assault.

The attack, which took place on Friday (February 7, 2025), involved a group of men trespassing into the priest’s residence near the temple and allegedly assaulting him over a religious disagreement. The incident has sparked debates about the increasing influence of radical elements in religious discourse.

Following the assault, the priest’s father, M.V. Soundararajan, who also serves as the convenor of the Temples Protection Movement, condemned the attack. He claimed that individuals identifying themselves as descendants of the Ikshwaku clan were attempting to establish "Rama Rajya" through the formation of private militias to punish those who did not align with their ideology. “They have misunderstood the true concept of Constitutional Rama Rajya. My son refused to associate with them, and they seriously manhandled him,” he stated.

The incident has prompted discussions about the dangers of fringe groups using religious narratives to justify violence. Authorities have assured a thorough investigation and emphasized that such acts of vigilantism will not be tolerated.