Man Arrested In Hyderabad Temple Attack, BJP Seeks Probe In Such Cases

The Hyderabad Police have arrested a man accused of damaging the Maisamma Temple in the Puranapul Darwaza area. With the help of CCTV footage, the police said on Friday that the suspect was arrested within 24 hours of the incident. He is currently being interrogated. Police also said that the security had been tightened in the Old City to maintain order. The incident took place late Wednesday, when the suspect entered the temple and damaged a flex banner and a small POP idol, creating tension in the area.

Following the incident, a huge number of locals gathered in the area. Sometime later, a group of people vandalised a nearby structure of another religion and clashed with police despite the clarification that the main shrine and the main idol inside the temple were not touched.

Four police personnel were injured in the clashes. Two separate cases were registered - one on the attack on the temple and the second on the clashes that broke out.

READ: Tension In Hyderabad Over Temple Vandalism; Asaduddin Owaisi Visits Spot

Police urged people not to spread or believe rumours and said the situation in the area was under control.

AIMIM, BJP Leaders Visit Temple

The arrest came a day after All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Telangana unit President N Ramchander Rao visited the Maisamma Temple.

During the visit, Asaduddin Owaisi interacted with the locals and the police and appealed to the people to remain calm and cooperate with authorities.

BJP Demands Probe Into Temple Attacks

N Ramchander Rao, meanwhile, demanded an investigation into what he called repeated attacks on temples. Rao said that the Puranapul incident came just three days after another temple was attacked at Katta Maisamma in Safilguda.

He added such incidents were not isolated and claimed that many Hindus were feeling unsafe due to repeated temple damage across the state.

The state BJP president held Chief Minister Revanth Reddy responsible for what he called an anti-Hindu atmosphere and criticised both the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for staying silent. He demanded strict action against those involved and an impartial investigation to find out who is behind these incidents.