Published Sep 15, 2026 | 3:55 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 15, 2026 | 3:55 PM
The purification ritual was held after Congress workers, including Dalits, took out a protest march to KCR's farmhouse.
Synopsis: The “purification ritual” took place after Congress workers, including Dalits, held a rally at BRS chief KCR’s farmhouse on 8 September, a day after a party MLC, Tata Madhu, reportedly taunted Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar’s caste identity. Incidentally, most of the people arrested so far belong to the Backwards Class Mudiraj or Munnuru Kapu communities.
Telangana police have arrested seven people in one of three SC/ST Act cases registered after a turmeric-water “purification ritual” was held after Congress workers took out a Dalit-led protest rally to BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao’s farmhouse at Erravelli in Siddipet.
Police arrested the accused, Praveen Appala, Raju Arikela, Raju Kodari, Himavanth alias Bhanu Macha, Mallesham Kammanthani, Ilaiah Kammanthani and Amarendar Reddaboyina, on Monday, 14 September, based on an FIR registered at Markook Police Station. Most named in the FIR belong to Mudiraj or Munnuru Kapu communities, categorised as Backward Classes in Telangana.
The “purification” incident happened on 7 September, after BRS MLC Tata Madhu allegedly used objectionable language against Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. In protest, Congress workers and Dalit organisation members held drum-beating demonstrations across villages near Erravelli on 8 September.
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Srikanth, who belongs to the SC Madiga community, alleged in his complaint that later that day, a group of villagers sprinkled turmeric water on the path the protesters had walked near the Hanuman temple road at Varadarajupur, believing their presence had rendered it impure. He said the act deeply hurt his sentiments and proved that Dalits are still treated as untouchables.
Police registered three FIRs on 10 September in the case. The two related FIRs were filed over similar purification incidents near the Brahmam Gari temple in Erravelli village and the stretch of road between Varadarajupur and the Erravelli farmhouse.
All three FIRs invoked sections 196 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(u) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Section 7 of the Protection of Civil Rights Act.
No developments have been reported so far in connection with the other two FIRs. BRS leader Pavani Goud is among the people booked.
Earlier, outrage erupted after visuals emerged of BRS Mahila Wing leaders, including Goud, pouring milk and turmeric water over the stretch where Congress workers and Dalit organisations had marched towards Chandrashekar Rao’s farmhouse in Erravalli in a symbolic “Chavu Dappu” protest.
The move drew sharp online comparisons to the shuddhikaran (purification) ritual performed at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan in Uttarakhand after Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a rally there. AICC President Kharge had said the move left him feeling insulted and having to confront the pain of untouchability.
