West Godavari priest dies of cardiac arrest

ELURU: A priest of Sri Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy temple at Palacole in West Godavari district died of cardiac arrest while performing rituals on the occasion of Karthika Somavaram. 

Kota Naga Venkata Vara Prasad alias Nagababu (65), deputy main priest,  collapsed while performing rituals in Mahishasura Mardini sub-temple on the premises of the famous Pancharama Kshetram  in the early hours of Monday. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead. Following the sudden demise of the priest, the authorities closed the temple till the evening to perform the cleansing ritual. 

Thousands of pilgrims who thronged the temple to worship Sri Ramalingeswara Swamy, felt disappointed due to its closure. 

After the cleansing ritual, the authorities reopened the temple. This is the second such incident in the district.