Hyderabad: After a long wait of 45-years the official’s machinery has got its act together for the protection of the historic Prachina Venugopala Swamy Temple in Hyderabad’s Old City.

This development has come following, Yamuna Pathak, a prominent temple protection activist and convener of the citizen awareness group ‘Jagore,’ who has launched a hunger strike unto death at the historic Prachina Venugopala Swamy on Saturday. Sensing the situation getting aggravated the endowment, special collector from the revenue department, mandal revenue officer, endowment officials have come to the temple and urged her to withdraw the fast. Besides, the Zonal Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has assured to act against the encroachment on Monday.

Speaking to The Hans India, Yamuna Pathak said that following the assurances she had withdrawn the hunger strike. However, she noted that it was made clear to the officials that the agitation would be re-launched if justice is not delivered.

Earlier, her protest is aimed at halting what she describes as rampant, illegal encroachment of temple land by land grabbers.

For the past two years, Pathak has led legal and civic efforts to reclaim temple properties and safeguard heritage sites. On Saturday, hundreds of devotees, along with Sadhus and Sanyasis, gathered at the temple to support her. Spiritual chants and recitations emphasized the site’s cultural and religious significance.

Pathak cited multiple court rulings, including those from the City Civil Court and Telangana High Court, which dismissed private ownership claims over the temple land and reaffirmed the authority of the State Endowment Department. Despite these judgments, she expressed frustration at the government’s failure to enforce them.

“All documents—court verdicts, revenue records, layout plans—have been submitted to the Endowment Commissioner, GHMC, and senior officials. Yet, land grabbers continue with impunity,” she said.

She strongly criticised the government’s inaction. “Is there one law for the rest of the state and another for the Old City? Are we in India or in Pakistan or Bangladesh?” she asked, referencing the sense of lawlessness.

Pathak’s fast began after the temple priest allegedly received death threats from land encroachers. While GHMC and police officials have visited the temple, she claimed they failed to take effective action. Endowment Department officials also visited and requested she call off the fast, assuring her of future steps. However, their credibility was questioned when a senior official stated that enforcement was delayed because “teams could not be dispatched on a Sunday.”

“This bureaucratic apathy is unacceptable,” Pathak said. “If illegal constructions can be demolished overnight elsewhere, why the hesitation here,” she asked.

Devotees and residents allege that encroachers used forged documents to gain GHMC house numbers and utility connections, helping them falsely establish ownership.

Stressing that her protest is not religious but a battle for justice, Pathak said, “People from all communities—Hindus, Muslims, even former IAS and IPS officers—have joined us. This is about defending our institutions.”

She made a direct appeal to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and top State officials to intervene. “We are not seeking favors. We demand justice. The government must act against these land grabbers. This fast will continue until justice is delivered,” she declared.

Against this backdrop, a team of officials have assured to act and the GHMC too promised to slap notices and take action against the alleged encroachment of temple land.