Fact Check: Old pictures of Saraswati Idol desecration circulated to incite communal tension in AP

YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh has facing heat over the vandalism of Hindu temples. A new message about the desecration of Saraswati idol is going viral on social media. It has been picked up by some local media websites too.

"A Saraswati Idol which was placed near to Sringeri Sankara Mutt in Narasaraopet, Guntur District has been recently desecrated by miscreants. The Hooligans have poured alcohol on the idol and even the face of the idol has been destroyed completely," reads the message.

Similar Facebook post

https://telugu.asianetnews.com/andhra-pradesh/lord-saraswathi-statue-damaged-in-guntur-qhrv9c

Fact Check:

The claim that this is a recent incident is FALSE.

When we searched with the keywords in Telugu, we found a video of Vijay Kumar, the owner of the land, who explained that the land was given for lease to a private college which was removed two years back. The idol which was placed by the college authorities was destroyed 2 years back itself. This is NOT a recent incident.

According to the press release by the Guntur DSP, after these pictures went viral, the police officials conducted an inquiry and found the truth that this idol has been in this state for a few years. When the police approached the Principal and the lecturers of Krishnaveni College, they made it clear that the idol was destroyed long back and that is the reason they left it on the premises while shifting the college.

These pictures have been made viral by some miscreants with an intention to incite communal tension in the region. Police also filed a case against two people for spreading the message.

Guntur Rural SP Vishal Gunni said any person spreading fake news on the social media platforms with intentions to inflame communal passions will be taken to task by the police. He also requested people not to believe the rumors.

Hence, the claims made on social media about Saraswati idol destruction are FALSE.