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Tension prevailed in the Puranapul area of Hyderabad, after unidentified persons allegedly tore a banner and damaged a plaster of Paris idol kept in the verandah of a temple on January 14. The incident later triggered vandalism at a nearby dargah by a mob.
According to police, soon after the vandalism at the Puranapul Darwaza Maisamma temple came to light, a crowd of nearly 300 people gathered near the site, raised slogans, and attacked a dargah in the same locality. The mob also allegedly assaulted police personnel deployed to control the situation.
At least ten people, including an inspector and several constables, were injured in stone pelting late on the night of January 14. Several vehicles were damaged, and a two-wheeler was set on fire, bringing traffic to a halt at the busy intersection along the banks of the Musi river. There were also clashes between two groups.
As the situation escalated, police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and deployed additional forces to prevent further violence.
Additional Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqbal said the police received information around 11.30 pm on January 14 that a few unidentified persons had entered the temple near Puranapul and attempted to tear a banner. Soon after, a mob gathered in the area.
Following the incident, police intensified patrolling in Puranapul and the surrounding areas, and appealed to the public not to believe rumours or unverified content circulating on social media. A suspect was arrested on January 15. Police denied rumours that the accused had entered the sanctum sanctorum of that the main idol of the temple was damaged, stating that such claims were false and misleading.
Police have registered separate cases related to the mob violence, vandalism of the dargah, and the attack on police personnel.
Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi visited Puranapul on the morning of January 15 and urged the police to take stringent action against those involved in vandalism and violence.
Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that the idol of the goddess and a Shivaji pillar were desecrated at Puranapul, claiming there was an organised attempt to target Hindu temples in Telangana.
In a separate incident in Hyderabad, a Muslim man was recently arrested for allegedly urinating inside a Katta Maisamma temple in Safilguda. He was booked on charged of trespassing, promoting enmity or hatred between groups, damaging or defiling a place of worship or sacred object with intent to insult religion, and deliberately and maliciously outraging religious feelings.
With IANS inputs