Hyderabad: The police have requested the people of Hyderabad not to resort to rumour-mongering in the best interest of the public, and to aid in defusing the tensions created due to the desecration of the idol of Muthyalamma deity in Secunderabad Muthyalamma temple, and the violence perpetrated by an angry mob who held a protest near the temple on Saturday.
In a statement to media on Saturday evening, Rashmi Perumal, North Zone DCP, informed that 15 police personnel received bleeding injuries, an ACP suffered cervical injury, and an inspector suffered head injuries in Saturday’s stone-pelting by an irate mob.
“In light of recent incident at Muthyalamma temple in Market PS limits, today Hindu Dharmik Sangalu organisations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrangdal gave a ‘bandh’ call and proposed to organise a supposedly peaceful protest rally in which over 3,000 persons gathered from all over city at Muthyalamma Temple, Secunderabad. No Official permission was taken to conduct the said Rally,” the DCP clarified.
She stated that the crowd soon turned aggressive and split into two main groups, with one trying to proceed aggressively towards a masjid in that area, and the other moving towards the Metropolis Hotel, intending to vandalise those premises.
“Despite several attempts to defuse the situation, the unruly mob started calling for demolition of the mosque in the area and when the police resisted their attempts to move towards the mosque, the mob started pelting stones, sticks, water bottles, chappals and chairs on the police force present,” she stated.
Despite the locals trying to reason with the mob several times, including the temple’s management, she said that the mob couldn’t be controlled. To bring the situation under control, she stated that the police had to resort to lathi-charge.
“However, the crowd gathered again and kept instigating the situation towards further violence. Additional forces were then mobilised and after repeated talks they were dispersed from the temple area,” Rashmi Perumal stated.
“But the mob then turned against the public transport buses moving on the road and damaged two RTC buses by stone pelting. Action is being taken against the said persons,” she added.
