Priest seriously injured in sword attack

KADAPA: A priest was seriously injured in an attack by an inebriated youth at a temple here on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Rukmini Sameta Panduranga Swamy temple around 9 pm The priest, Kalyanapuram Narayana Swamy (55), was slashed eight times by the attacker with a sword while he was preparing the Utsava Murtis (processional deities) for the next day’s procession.He sustained serious injuries on the neck, head and some other parts of the body. His left thumb got severed.Women, who were decorating the temple floor and courtyard with rangoli, alerted local people who rushed the injured priest to RIMS Hospital where his condition is said to be serious.Meanwhile, the youth, who had fled after attacking the priest, returned to the temple to take back his slippers but was mobbed by people and handed over to the police.According to eyewitness accounts, the youth became angry when he was chided by the priest for making noise. The priest’s son Balaji and daughter Revati ruled out any old enmity.Addressing the district peace committee meeting on Monday, collector V Anil Kumar appealed to people of all religions to maintain calm.