On Thursday (10th October), the idol of Goddess Durga was found vandalised at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds in Hyderabad city of Telangana.
According to reports, the attack on the Hindu Puja mandap occurred during the Devi Sharan Navaratri celebrations in the city. On learning about the incident, cops from Begum Bazar police station reached the scene and conducted an inspection.
A video has now surfaced on social media, showcasing the extent of damage caused to the puja mandap.
The idol of Maa Durga has been vandalized in Nampally Ground. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Begum Bazar Police Station.
— Abhishek Agarwal 🇮🇳 (@AbhishekOfficl) October 11, 2024
When I raised my voice for the Bhagyalaxmi Temple, I was served a notice through 'X' and my handle was restricted. But I won’t back down.
This is… pic.twitter.com/QqaglpxTqd
It has now emerged that those who carried out the vandalism, first disconnected the electricity lines and then destroyed CCTVs. Following that, they damaged the barricades, and the arm of the idol of the Hindu deity. The attackers also threw away Puja paraphernalia.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged into the matter and a probe is underway. The development was confirmed by ACP Chandra Shekhar.
To prevent any untoward situation, the police deployed a large contingent of force at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds. Hindus in the area are now demanding strong action against the perpetrators.
Update: One accused has been arrested in this case. The name of the accused is Krishnaiah Goud and he is a vagabond.
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: DCP, Central Zone Akshahsh Yadav says, "In the morning around 6:00 am we got a call that the Durga Mata idol which has been kept in the exhibition ground, the right hand has been damaged and the 'prasad' and other items kept at the feet of the idol… https://t.co/Omskp4nvEL pic.twitter.com/dbcUvBCt41
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2024
DCP, Central Zone Akshahsh Yadav while speaking to the media said, “We checked CCTV footage and around 8:15 pm we caught one accused. The name of the accused is Krishnaiah Goud…He is a vagabond…He came to this pandal in the morning since he was feeling hungry and while searching for food he disturbed the Prasadam and in that, the idol got damaged.”
The DCP further said, “This incident happened because there was negligence on the part of the organizers…We have booked a case against the organizers.”
Editor’s Note: This report has been updated based on the latest information
