Chakali Chandrakala carried the wreath of her two-month-old baby girl who died during an assault by upper caste men in Nagarkurnool
Hyderabad: Telangana Commission for Backwards Classes (BC) Chairperson G Niranjan on Tuesday, February 24, visited Kummera village in Nagarkurnool district following the death of a two-month-old infant during the Mallanna jatara.
He paid tributes at the baby’s grave, consoled the bereaved family, and sought detailed reports from district officials.
Alleging lapses in security and supervision, Niranjan said the Commission would not tolerate attacks on the poor and weaker sections. He directed the District Collector to conduct an inquiry into allegations that backwards-class devotees were denied entry to the temple during the February 18 festival.
According to the complaint filed with the police, the incident occurred when Mounika, a Scheduled Caste woman, visited the temple with her family. Organisers allegedly demanded a Rs 100 entry fee and refused to issue a receipt. When she questioned the demand, temple committee member Srinivas Reddy allegedly abused her by referring to her caste and pushed her to the ground by pulling her saree.
Her husband, Ganesh, later confronted the organisers. Police said several villagers, including local sarpanch Kanakala Thukaram Reddy, allegedly dragged him into a nearby storeroom and assaulted him with iron rods and coconuts, causing bleeding injuries and dislodged teeth.
Mounika, who was carrying her two-month-old daughter, reportedly pleaded for her husband’s release. During the altercation, Srinivas Reddy allegedly kicked her, causing the baby to fall. She later noticed the child had become unconscious. The infant was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead.
Nagarkurnool police on Monday collected caste certificates of both the victim’s family and the accused as part of the investigation. A case has been registered against members of the temple management under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A post-mortem examination (PME) was conducted, and the body was handed over to the parents. Deputy Superintendent of Police B. Srinivas inspected the temple premises, recorded statements, and seized CCTV footage as well as mobile phone recordings from devotees.
“The PME report is awaited. Based on the findings, relevant sections of the case may be altered. Some of the accused are absconding, and special teams have been formed to apprehend them,” police said.
Officials said the state government has instructed the Endowments Ddepartment to conduct a detailed inquiry into the functioning of the temple and submit a report. Police have also written to the government seeking compensation for the bereaved family under the SC/ST (POA) Act.
Meanwhile, advocate Vinod Hindustani has approached the National Human Rights Commission seeking a separate inquiry into the incident.
The case has triggered outrage and intensified concerns over caste discrimination and administrative accountability during large religious gatherings in rural Telangana.
This post was last modified on February 25, 2026 8:10 am