Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at a temple in Hyderabad’s Dilsukhnagar on Friday after a man allegedly entered the Santoshi Mata Temple, attacked the priest and struck the deity’s idol with sticks. The incident, which took place while devotees were present, was captured on CCTV and led to the man being detained and handed over to police.
The accused has been identified in subsequent reports as Mohammed Ansari. According to the latest available account, Chaitanyapuri Police registered a case following a complaint by P. Srinivas, president of the Sri Seetharamanjaneya and Sri Santoshi Mata Devasthanams. The complaint alleges that Ansari entered the sanctum, climbed onto the raised platform and used sticks to strike the Santoshi Mata idol, damaging the deity and its adornments.
Temple staff and devotees intervened after noticing the alleged attack and restrained the man before handing him over to police. Reports said people at the spot also assaulted him before police took him into custody.
Police have registered the case under Sections 329(4), 333, 324, 298, 299 and 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to reported FIR details. The provisions cited include offences relating to trespass into a place of worship, damage to property, defiling a place of worship or sacred object, acts intended to outrage religious feelings and disturbance of a religious assembly.
There are differences in the first reports about the precise sequence of events. An early video based account said the man was seen throwing branches near the idol before leaving the temple, while later reports citing the complaint described sticks being used against the deity and an attack on the priest. Police are expected to establish the exact sequence through CCTV footage and other evidence.
Police are also conducting a medical examination and mental health assessment of the accused. The motive behind the incident has not been established so far, and no conclusion about his state of mind or motivation should be drawn before the investigation is completed.
The incident has drawn political reactions in Telangana, with BJP leaders demanding strict action and raising questions over security at religious places. These statements represent the leaders political responses and are separate from the police investigation into the incident.