Tensions prevailed in Secunderabad on Monday after the idol of the Muthyalamma temple in Kurmaguda region was vandalized in the wee hours, sparking fury and protests from the local Hindu residents.
Soon after, local residents became alert and caught one of the extremists. He was later turned over to the police within the Market police station limits. The video of the said incident is making rounds on social media. Following the event, officials strengthened security and are working to restore peace.
A significant number of residents protested near the temple, demanding action against those guilty, and BJP leaders also joined them. Police detained BJP leader and party’s MP candidate from Hyderabad in recent elections Madhavi Latha after she joined the protesting agitators.
Meanwhile, the police have made significant progress in the temple attack case. An accused was arrested by the police during the attack on the idol. According to the information given by him, the police raided the Secunderabad Cine Police Hotel and found that 50 rooms on the 3rd and 4th floors of the hotel had been rented by many thieves.
According to the police, a person named Salim Salman Thakur, a resident of the Metro Police Hotel, attacked the Mutyalamma temple. It was revealed that the idol was vandalized while going towards Majid from the hotel. It is claimed that they all fled after the attack on the temple. Records, CCTV footage and Aadhaar cards of the assailants were seized at the reception, he said. The details of the accused have been collected and they will be arrested soon.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy headed to the temple and spoke with the protesters. He called it a ‘shameful’ act and accused some people of purposely inciting communal tensions. While being detained, Latha deplored, “They are taking me to jail for protesting over the vandalisation of Mata’s idol. We are ready for this.”
This comes days after an idol of Goddess Durga was damaged in Hyderabad’s Nampally Exhibition Grounds on Friday. The incident had triggered protests in the area. The CCTV footage of the incident was recovered in which a young individual wearing a white kurta and black Islamic skull cap could be seen kicking the idol of the Goddess. He blatantly vandalized the idol and threw the remains on the floor.
On Friday, Latha said, “It is time for all Hindus to retaliate whatever vandalisations are happening. Probably they are thinking that they are going to break us up. But they are uniting us by doing such things again and again. I warn them.”