Navagraha idols 'vandalised' at Hanuman temple in Shamshabad; suspect detained

Hyderabad: Navagraha idols in a temple at Shamshabad were found damaged on Tuesday, leading to the detention of a person, police said.

After hearing about the damage at the Hanuman temple, locals gathered to protest and condemn the incident.

The temple priest expressed distress over the incident and called for strict action against those responsible. He said a devotee informed him around 6 am that idols were damaged, and he observed that five Navagraha idols had been vandalised.

A senior police official stated that police teams arrived at the scene after receiving information and launched an investigation. One suspect was detained in connection with the incident, and discussions are underway with the local temple committee.

A case has been registered, and the situation remains peaceful, the official said. CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.

The Telangana BJP shared videos of the damaged idols on 'X', claiming, "Another tragic day, and yet another sacred Hindu temple desecrated in Telangana under Congress rule."

The BJP alleged that the Congress government, in an attempt to appease its vote bank, has turned a blind eye, failing to hold perpetrators accountable for previous temple desecrations.

"By failing to deliver justice, they’ve only emboldened these attackers," the BJP said, adding that the Congress recently ordered the appointment of social media coordinators in Temple trusts to divert public attention from such attacks.

In a separate incident, an idol was desecrated at the Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad on the night of October 13-14, sparking protests from local residents and Hindu organisations.

A suspect from Maharashtra, allegedly involved in similar acts in Mumbai, was arrested in connection with this incident.

Inputs from PTI