Minister Kishan Reddy demands probe into ‘vandalisation’ of idol

PTI Hyderabad: An idol was found partially damaged at a temple in Secunderabad here on Monday leading to mild tension near the place of worship with a large number of people staging a protest demanding stern action against the perpetrators. Strongly condemning the incident, Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy termed the act as an ‘insult’ to the Hindu community. Based on preliminary investigation, a senior police official said one person entered the temple at around 4.30 am on Monday and partially damaged the idol following which he was taken into custody. “As per the CCTV footage only person entered the temple. We got information that the idol was partially damaged after being lifted from its position in the temple.

Some locals, who noticed this nabbed the person and handed him over to the police,” the official said. The person was allegedly thrashed by the locals and was hospitalised and is in an unconscious state, police said. The official said they were in the process of verifying the motive and further investigation was on. It is a sensitive issue and the locals have been assured that a thorough and transparent investigation was underway, the official added. A large number of people gathered near the temple and raised slogans demanding stern action against those responsible for the incident. Kishan Reddy, who visited the Muthyalamma temple, claimed, “In the early hours of today one person belonging to Muslim community entered the temple and attempted to destroy and vandalise the idols of the ancient Muthyalamma temple. After lifting the Matha idol, he tried to destroy it (Matha’s idol)”. “Had the locals not caught hold of him (the person) the police would have said that he might have come to steal,” Kishan Reddy said adding this was done to insult the Hindu community. The Union Minister also alleged that a series of incidents involving the “destruction” of idols of Goddess Durga Matha at various temples and pandals during Navratri in the city by anti-Hindu forces point to the negligence of the state government and its “failure” to maintain law and order. Some people in collusion with locals are deliberately indulging in such acts to create tensions and communal riots in Hyderabad, he claimed.

“These recent incidents indicate a larger conspiracy, and I demand a thorough investigation into this to punish those responsible for destroying the idols and to ensure justice,” he demanded. Kishan Reddy said he would take it up with Telangana Chief Minister.