Hyderabad: Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi visited Puranapul on Thursday, January 15, following communal tension in the area after a temple was vandalised by unidentified persons, which led to an attack on a nearby shrine.
He urged the police to take stringent action against miscreants involved in vandalism and violence.
Tension at Puranapul
Ten people, including an inspector and a few constables, were injured in the stone pelting, and several vehicles were damaged late on Wednesday, January 14, night.
Trouble started after unidentified persons tore a flexi at Puranapul temple. Following the incident, a crowd gathered and raised slogans, triggering tension.
They attacked a nearby shrine of another community and vandalised the graves. They also damaged a religious flag. The mob set afire a two-wheeler and damaged a few other vehicles, bringing traffic to a halt at the busy intersection on the banks of the Musi river.
The mob also resorted to stone pelting, injuring police personnel. There was also a clash between two groups.
Police resorted to lathi charge
As the situation was slipping out of control, police resorted to a lathi charge and dispersed the mob. Additional police forces rushed to the spot to prevent further violence.
Senior police officials, including Additional Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqubal, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) from Charminar, Golconda and Rajendra Nagar DCPs and Task Force personnel rushed to the area.
Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tafseer Iqubal told media persons that they received information around 11.30 pm (Wednesday) that a few anti-social elements entered the temple near Puranapul and tried to tear the flexi. After the incident, some people gathered near the temple.
The ACP said the senior officials, including DCPs and the Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, rushed with the force and dispersed the group of people.
“We have registered a case under the appropriate sections. We got some clues about the persons involved. Our police people are working on that,” he said, adding that the situation was completely under control.
The Additional Commissioner said action would be taken against the miscreants.
Following the incident, police stepped up patrolling in Puranapul and the surrounding areas. Police appealed to people not to believe any rumours.
Owaisi on Puranapul communal tension
Speaking on the Puranapul communal tension, the MP levelled allegations on Sangh Parivar and said, “If you see this pattern of these forces who belong to the Sangh Parivar, who are trying to create a communal disturbance in Hyderabad, a majority of the incidents are happening at night and it is happening on an issue which has no relevance at all. They are trying to create a communal controversy.”
He further said, “Some say a poster was thrown, some say something happened over there. My concern is, what is the local police doing over there?” He said there are closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and Hyderabad is supposed to have one of the best coverage of CCTV cameras, facial technology, etc.
“These incidents should not happen and especially at that particular place. That particular place has a history of communal violence in the 1980s and the 1990s. My party and I have personally done so much to ensure that communal differences are not there and even the local community has come forward and cooperated with me, but there are certain forces belonging to a political party which do not want to see peace being strengthened in Hyderabad.
“It is high time that the local police should look into it, and my request to the people of that area and the people of Hyderabad is that we don’t require such incidents at all. We require Hyderabad to be peaceful so that Hyderabad progresses,” he said.
BJP reacts
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the deity of the goddess and Shivaji Dhwaj were desecrated at Puranapul. “An organised and systematic desecration of Hindu temples is underway in Telangana. Congress government to protect its vote bank has allowed these extremist forces to take over the state,” the Telangana BJP’s official handle said on X.
State BJP president N Ramchander Rao alleged that another temple was desecrated under Congress rule in Telangana. “Whether it is Muthyalamma Temple in Secunderabad, Katta Maisamma Temple in Safilguda or Temple in Puranapool, Extremists have taken over Telangana with Congress govt in deep sleep – they know Congress can never act against it’s Vote Bank, hence the Temple Desecration spree. While the pseudo seculars have maintained radio silence over the issue, BJP will stand resolutely and fight with unwavering determination to safeguard our temples,” he posted on X.
(With inputs from agencies)
