Seven Officials Suspended in Simhachalam Incident
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has initiated stern action in response to the recent wall collapse at the revered Simhachalam Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple. Based on the report submitted by a three-member inquiry committee, seven officials have been suspended for alleged negligence that led to the tragic incident. Additionally, the contractor responsible for the construction work has been blacklisted, and criminal action has been ordered against him and two other officials.
The wall collapse at the Simhachalam temple premises resulted in the deaths of seven devotees. The state government responded immediately by forming a three-member committee to investigate the cause of the accident and identify those responsible. The committee conducted a detailed investigation and submitted its findings to the government. According to available information, the report clearly held the negligence of officials and the contractor responsible for the mishap.
Upon reviewing the committee’s report, the government took immediate action. Orders were issued suspending seven officials associated with the Endowments Department and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The suspended officials include Temple Executive Officer K. Subbarao, Temple Executive Engineer Srinivasa Rao, APTDC Executive Engineer Ramana, Deputy Executive Engineers K.S.N. Murthy and Swami, APTDC Assistant Engineer P. Madan, and Temple Junior Engineer K. Babji.
In addition to this, the government held the contractor entirely responsible for the faulty construction and decided to blacklist him. Furthermore, orders have been issued to register criminal cases against the contractor and two other officials identified as responsible for the negligence. It is understood that the government aims to ensure such incidents do not recur by taking these measures.