'Self-radicalised' man who vandalised Secunderabad temple hails from Maharashtra, says police

Hyderabad, Oct 16 (IANS) The man, who entered a temple in Secunderabad here and damaged the idol two days ago, hails from Maharashtra, police said on Wednesday. 

He has been identified as Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman, aged about 30 years, a native of Mumbra, near Mumbai.

The police investigations revealed that he came to Hyderabad early this month to attend a month-long personality development workshop.

On October 14 at about 4.30 a.m., he entered into the sanctum-sanctorum of Sri Muthyalamma Temple located at Kummarguda, in the Market Police Station limits and desecrated the main idol of the temple. Upon hearing the noise, locals reached the spot and caught hold of the person and prevented further damage, Hyderabad police said in a statement.

Angered by the provocative and mischievous act, some of the locals manhandled him. When questioned about the reason for trespass and damage, he refused to divulge his name, details and motive behind his act.

Acting swiftly on the information, the local Police reached the spot, shifted the accused to a hospital and took stock of the situation. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Market Police Station under sections 333, 331(4), 196, 298, and 299 of BNS.

According to police, Salman came to Hyderabad to attend a personality development workshop, which is organised by English House Academy under the correspondence of Munawar Zama, Md. Kafeel Ahmed and others at Hotel Metropolis, Regimental Bazar, Secunderabad. Police found that the hotel premises were rented illegally for running the academic course which has no formal permission. Necessary legal action is being taken up against the management for the same, it said.

Further investigation revealed that Salman is a B.E Computer Engineering graduate and is active on social media. He started watching videos of Islamic religious preachers like fugitive Zakir Naik and others on Facebook and YouTube. He became self-radicalised and developed a radical bent mind and hatred towards the practices of other/Hindu religions.

It was also revealed that the accused is involved in similar incidents in Mumbai. In 2022, he entered a Ganesh Pandal with his footwear and argued with local people mocking the practice of idolatry. On August 1, 2024, he trespassed into Sri Manokamana Siddhimahadeva Mandir and damaged the idol of Lord Shanker, hereby insulting Hindu religion and faith, the police said.

The investigation is underway in this case and the public is requested to cooperate with the police and avoid unnecessary speculation and rumour-mongering in the public interest, the statement added.