Secunderabad: Why cops cancel license of Hotel Metropolis after temple attack

Hyderabad: Muthyalamma Temple in Secunderabad was allegedly vandalized by a man on October 14.

CCTV footage captured the suspect breaking into the temple and damaging the idol. Locals quickly responded, apprehending the man and assaulting him before handing him over to the police. The man was first taken to Gandhi Hospital for treatment and later placed in police custody.

Investigation Leads to Hotel Metropolis

As the investigation unfolded, police linked the vandalism suspect to Hotel Metropolis in the Gopalapuram area, where he had been staying as part of a large gathering.

Further inquiries revealed that the hotel had hosted an event organized by Munawar Zama, which involved around 151 participants. Zama claimed the gathering was for English-speaking and personality development classes.

However, neither the event organizer nor the hotel had secured the necessary permissions from local authorities.

Police Take Action on Hotel Metropolis

Following the discovery that the accused in the temple vandalism case had stayed at Hotel Metropolis, Hyderabad police moved quickly to cancel the hotel’s trade license. In addition, the hotel premises were sealed by the authorities for failing to comply with local regulations.

“A meeting was held with owners and managers of lodges and hotels in the North zone, and specific instructions were given about staying within the legal framework, including compliance with the Telangana State Public Safety Act and trade license regulations,” a police officer from the North Zone stated.

The police have also registered a case against the event organizer and the hotel’s management at Gopalapuram Police Station under Cr. No. 349/2024.

Meeting with Lodge Owners

A meeting organized by DCP North Zone was attended by various hotel and lodge owners to emphasize the importance of adhering to public safety regulations. During the meeting, owners were informed that violations could lead to strict action, including license suspension.

Key instructions given at the meeting included:

• Maintaining a register of visitors and submitting daily entries to the local SHO.

• Storing records of ID proof for all guests staying at the lodge.

• Installing CCTV cameras with backup as mandated by the Public Safety Act.

• Obtaining permission from local police for any commercial events held on the premises.

In the context of the recent incident, the police warned, “If any establishment is found to be involved in illegal activities such as prostitution or drug peddling, the management will be held responsible and face legal consequences.”

The crackdown on Hotel Metropolis serves as a reminder for all lodges and hotels in the city to comply with public safety norms and ensure their establishments are not used for illegal activities.