Hyderabad: 3 minors held for Hanuman temple vandalism in Chandrayangutta; scrap dealer arrested

Hyderabad: Three minors were apprehended by the Chandrayangutta police for allegedly desecrating a Lord Hanuman temple and stealing a copper vessel at Barkas in the early hours of February 24.

A scrap dealer was also arrested for allegedly purchasing the stolen property.

The incident occurred at the Sri Dwimukha Anjaneya Swamy Temple under the Chandrayangutta Police Station limits. Locals noticed the broken lock and damage to the idol early on February 24 and alerted the police.

Based on a complaint lodged by J Naveen Kumar, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was launched.

Minors said to be natives of Myanmar

During the investigation, ACP Chandrayangutta A Sudhakar and SHO R Gopi formed special teams and examined CCTV footage from nearby areas. Police identified three minors moving suspiciously with a polythene bag on the night of the incident.

The special teams traced and apprehended the three minors from Royal Colony in Balapur on February 26 at around 9:30 am. During questioning, they allegedly confessed to breaking the temple lock with a stone, entering the premises, stealing a copper vessel, and damaging the idol.

The accused minors, said to be natives of Myanmar and residing in Hyderabad, were produced before the V Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Nampally.

Scrap dealer arrested

Police also apprehended the alleged receiver of the stolen property. The accused, Mohd Abdul Waheed (60), a scrap dealer from Edi Bazar, Balanagar, was taken into custody for allegedly purchasing the stolen copper vessel. He was produced before the court.

Motive

According to police, the minors were addicted to bad habits and allegedly committed the offence to meet their personal expenses.

Police advisory

In view of the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajendranagar Zone, appealed to the public to maintain peace and communal harmony.

Citizens were advised not to spread rumours or unverified information on social media and to report any suspicious activities to the police.

Police urged residents to cooperate in maintaining tranquillity and ensuring a peaceful environment in the locality.