Hyderabad: Tension erupted at Shadnagar mandal of Ranga Reddy district after vandals damaged ‘shivalingga’ at Bassavva temple on Thursday night, November 21.
The temple is located at Vivekanand colony in Janapet at Shadnagar. The stone bearing religious significance was found damaged by the local devotees on Friday morning. This is however not the first of such incidents that have taken place in recent times.
A few other temples in and around Hyderabad were also targetted earlier.
As news spread, local Hindu religious organizations reached the temple and started a protest.
The police came to the temple and began investigation. Police presence was also increased in view of recent protests in Ranga Reddy district over temple vandalism incidents.
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Prior to this on November 5 another incident of desecration of idols took place at a Hanuman temple in Shamshabad area. While the police took a suspect into custody, his identity was not revealed. The vandalisation also led to a huge protest by Right-wing groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal.
Another attack also took place at the Pochamma temple of Jokul village in Shamshabad as well. According to the police, a group of miscreants allegedly entered the temple around midnight and damaged three idols of deities. Locals residents reportedly caught hold of one of them, and thrashed him before he was handed over to the police.
