Hyderabad: The police on Tuesday, February 24, stopped some priests from reciting the Hanuman Chalisa at the Sri Dwimukhi Hanuman Temple in Barkas under Chandrayangutta in Hyderabad after it was allegedly vandalised by miscreants earlier.
Speaking with Siasat.com, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chandrayangutta Police Station, R Gopi, said that miscreants desecrated the sindhooram of the idol after breaking the iron grill of the temple, which was discovered by devotees only on Tuesday morning.
The police said the incident likely took place late on Monday night or very early Tuesday morning. Police also filed a case under sections 324(2), 329 and 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SHO Gopi said that by 5 pm on Tuesday, the police would install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and later, a compound wall would be built around it. Around 15 police personnel have been deployed at the temple to prevent any untoward incident.
Mild tension prevails
Following the incident at the temple, mild tension prevailed in the area. Advocate Karunasagar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader A Jitendar and other leaders reached the spot and expressed anger.
A BJP leader said that the 14-acre temple land has gone down in size due to alleged land grabbing. He said that the temple is 400 years old and demanded that the government protect the land.
The BJP leader added that the incident took place to gain political mileage. Meanwhile, Hyderabad BJP Secretary Naveen said that the police gave an assurance of a compound wall and CCTV camera at the temple premises.
BJP Telangana president N Ramchander Rao also strongly condemned the attack on the Sri Dwimukhi Hanuman Temple. He termed the act as “extremely inhumane and heinous,” adding that the attack was evidence of the ongoing anti-Hindu rule in Telangana.
Rao stated that the series of attacks on Hindu temples and idols of deities under the Congress regime in Telangana are not coincidental, but part of a planned conspiracy against Sanatana Dharma.
BJP leaders to visit temples in Hyderabad
It may be noted that the incident took place on the day when Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay is visiting the Bhagya Laxmi temple at Charminar in Hyderabad along with the newly elected Mayor and corporators of the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation to offer prayers following the BJP’s victory in the civic body.
According to party sources, the delegation will also visit the Simhavahini Mahankali temple and a temple in Secunderabad during the day. Sarpanches who won in the recent local body elections in Karimnagar are also expected to join the visit along with local BJP leaders.
Similar incidents at temples in Hyderabad
Last month, mild tension prevailed at Puranapul Darwaza after unidentified persons allegedly vandalised a temple. Locals who noticed the vandalism alerted residents, following which a mob gathered and staged a protest. Police reached the spot and prevented any outbreak of violence.
A heavy police force was deployed at Puranapul and its surrounding areas.
In another incident, a 26-year-old man was arrested for allegedly unlawfully entering the Katta Maisamma temple premises in Safilguda in Hyderabad and committing “indecent” acts in front of the idol.
