A century-old Shiva Lingam at the Sri Bhimeswara Swamy Temple in Draksharamam, Ambedkar Konaseema district, was vandalised late Monday night. Unidentified miscreants damaged the Lingam located in the temple pond behind the temple. Devotees discovered the damage on Tuesday morning and alerted the temple priests. The temple is a famous Pancharama shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Manikyamba, where devotees also bathe in the pond beside the Godavari river. Superintendent of Police Rahul Meena said four police teams have been formed to find the culprits. They are currently reviewing CCTV footage from nearby areas to aid their investigation. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, currently abroad on a personal visit, called Endowments Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy late Tuesday night for an update. Mr. Ramnarayana Reddy informed the Chief Minister that a new Shiva Lingam was consecrated at the spot of the vandalised one. Mr. Naidu directed the police to catch those responsible as soon as possible. In a statement, Minister Ramnarayana Reddy condemned the vandalism and instructed officials to strengthen security at the temple to prevent future incidents. He added, "The temple comes under the purview of the Archeology department and an action plan will be chalked out to have better coordination between police and archeology department." The State government has assured that all necessary steps will be taken to protect the sanctity of temples.