When the incident occurred at 4.30 am in the morning, residents near the temple who were sleeping woke up to some disturbance.
Published Oct 17, 2024 | 1:59 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 17, 2024 | 9:25 AM
Secunderabad Muthyalamma Temple vandalism
On Monday, 14 October, Hyderabad witnessed a case of vandalism in the popular Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad. The miscreant, identified as Salman Salim Thakur, a 30-year-old Maharastra native, was apprehended in the temple by the locals.
Angered by the desecration of the deity’s idol, the mob beat him up before the police intervened. He is facing numerous charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The incident occurred at 4.30 am when residents near the temple woke up to some disturbance. Upon checking the temple, they found Salman.
Salman allegedly entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and destroyed the temple’s property. He had kicked the deity – Muthylamma’s idol – multiple times before trying to take it off the pedestal as per the CCTV footage.
Responding to the noise, and angered at the desecration of the temple, the locals apprehended Salman and beat him repeatedly. Despite being beaten, Salman refused to reveal his details or motive to the mob. Subsequently, the police intervened, shifting Salman to a hospital before proceeding with the investigation.
The investigation at Market Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, revealed that Salman Salim Thakur was a 30-year-old native of Mumbra, near Mumbai. He arrived in Hyderabad early in October to attend a month-long personality development course in Regimental Bazar, Secunderabad.
The police further revealed that Salman was a B.E Computer Engineering Graduate. They noted that Salman’s social media activity indicated that he was self-radicalised and grew a hatred towards the practices of the Hindu religion like idolatry.
The investigation further revealed that Salman was involved in two other similar cases in Maharashtra. First was in September 2022, when he entered a Ganesh Pandal with his footwear and got into an argument with the locals. Second, in Vasai-Virar where Salman trespassed into the Manokamna Siddhi Mahadev Temple and damaged the Shiva idol there.
In both cases, he was booked under IPC Section 295(a) (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and BNS Section 298 (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class), respectively. The police had earlier filed an FIR against Salman under BNS Sections:
Secunderabad MP and Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy arrived at the scene of vandalism on 14 October. In a statement on X, he raised concerns regarding similar instances in the city, deeming it the work of ‘Anti-Hindu’ forces. He blamed the state government’s negligence for the incident, calling it a failure to maintain law and order.
Speculating that there is a larger conspiracy at hand, he demanded a thorough investigation.
Visited the Muthyalamma temple, where communal fanatics attempted to destroy and vandalize the idols of the ancient Muthyalamma temple near the Passport Office, Kummarguda, Monda Division, Secunderabad, falling under Malkajgiri.
A series of incidents involving the destruction of… pic.twitter.com/LSP5aOAtDX
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) October 14, 2024
Similar responses poured in on the internet with BRS working president KTR calling the incident deeply disturbing. “Such senseless acts are a blot on our city’s tolerant fabric,” his X post read, demanding immediate action against the miscreant and accountability from the government.
Notably, the incident at Muthyalamma temple comes in a series of similar communal cases in Telangana. On 11 October, unidentified miscreants vandalised the Durga idol at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds. Similarly, Puligutta Maisamma Temple in Laxmiguda was also vandalised by unidentified individuals in September. Earlier, miscreants destroyed the idols at Bhulakshmi Temple in Bhagyanagar as well.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also doubles as Telangana’s Home Minister among the other portfolios he holds.
(Edited by Neena)
