Hyderabad: Officials and employees of the Endowments Department have been plunged into a state of panic following a series of successful raids by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The anxiety follows the arrest of two department officials caught red-handed accepting bribes within a span of just two months.

The latest incident occurred at the office of the Assistant Commissioner, where ACB sleuths conducted a surprise trap. Inspector Akavaram Kiran Kumar was caught while allegedly accepting Rs 50,000—part of a larger Rs 1.50 lakh bribe—demanded from an individual in exchange for issuing a survey report for land located at Bagh Amberpet.

Sources within the department indicate that this recent arrest has created a visible sense of unease at the head office. Visitors are reportedly being viewed with suspicion, and the usual practice of staff staying back until 8 pm on the instructions of seniors has ceased. Despite official hours ending at 5 pm, many employees who previously worked late are now rushing to leave the premises on time to avoid any potential scrutiny.

This is the second major blow to the department's image recently. Two months ago, Voodepu Venkata Rama Rao, an Executive Engineer at the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Yadagirigutta who also held additional charge as Superintending Engineer, was apprehended by the ACB. He was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 1.90 lakh to process a bill exceeding Rs 11 lakh for the installation of food machines at the temple. It has also emerged that Rama Rao was already facing a cheating case involving a failed repayment to an individual named P Srinivas.

The string of arrests has led to internal discussions that the state government has placed the Endowments Department under a scanner. While the atmosphere remains tense for some, other officials have welcomed the move, stating that strict ACB surveillance is necessary to weed out corruption and restore the public image of the department.