Ground report: Muslims did not attack Karmanghat temple, BJP is lying

Hyderabad: On Thursday, a group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) karyakarthas (workers) held demonstrations at Vanasthalipuram, Balapur X roads, and IS Sadan X roads against what they allege was misuse of power by the Telangana government and police. This accusation was born out of the Karmanghat row, in which Hindu vigilantes and seven (six of whom were Muslim) cattle traders, clashed with each other.

However, upon closer scrutiny, the version of the narrative presented by BJP members has gaping holes in it. At the protest at Balapur X roads, where nearly 100 BJP members assembled, the group claimed that the seven accused followed the complainants into the Karmanghat Hanuman temple and beat them up inside the temple premises.

No violence inside Hanuman temple:

Speaking to Siasat.com, the temple trust director Yadi Reddy informed this reporter that while the accused followed the complainants inside the temple, they exited as soon as they came in and as such, there was no altercation.

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This was further clarified by Meerpet police station Inspector M Mahender Reddy who stated that no violence took place within the boundaries of the temple. “We are still surveilling CCTV footage to ascertain how many of the accused entered the temple but the temple remained undisturbed,” he added.

Police did not abuse power:

Despite the same, senior BJP leader Kollan Shankar Reddy stated that the invasive acts by the minorities (which chiefly refers to the Muslim community) are encouraging the populace to indulge in smuggling. “When devotees of the country, Ram bhakts, tried to stop the smuggling recently, the police charged them with Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.”

However, that statement has also proven to be false. Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC was imposed on the gau rakshaks for pelting stones at sub-inspector Madhava Reddy of Vanasthalipuram police station. The truth of this is ascertained by the press note issued by the city police.

Reddy is currently undergoing treatment at Kamineni hospital after having suffered a serious injury to the skull.

Background of the Karmanghat row:

Two days ago, rumours of an attack at the Hanuman temple in Karmanghat circulated on social media. Senior police officers rushed to the area and dispersed the mob, which had gathered after receiving messages about an attack.

The allegation was that seven accused were transporting cattle and were hindered by right-wing vigilantes. What followed was an altercation in which the accused attack the complainants who subsequently ran into the temple to seek protection.

This was followed by protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other right-wing Hindu groups who took to the streets on the same night and even pelted stones on the police which came to disperse the crowd at Karmanghat. A sub-inspector of police, Madhava Reddy, from the Vanasthalipuram police station was injured, and two police cars were also damaged, after which a total of five cases were booked with the Meerpet and Saroornagar police stations in the Rachakonda commissionerate.

The Telangana police arrested seven individuals who have been accused of rioting and illegal transportation of cattle which created communal tensions in Karmanghat. The sub-inspector, Madhava Reddy, is currently undergoing treatment after he sustained grievous injuries on his head.

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