A disturbing incident has triggered outrage in Hyderabad after a man allegedly assaulted a priest and vandalized an idol of the goddess with sticks at a local temple. The incident took place at the Santoshi Mata Temple near Dilsukhnagar bus depot and was captured in its entirety on CCTV cameras installed at the premises. Devotees present at the time noticed the assault on the priest and swiftly intervened, overpowering the accused and handing him over to police. Reports indicate that the man was assaulted by some bystanders before law enforcement arrived at the scene.
Police took the accused into custody and initiated an investigation into the incident. A case has been registered, and authorities are working to establish the precise sequence of events. The accused has undergone medical examination, and a psychiatric evaluation is also being conducted as part of the probe. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and police said the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing.
The episode drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders, who questioned the state government’s measures for ensuring security at religious institutions. BJP state president N. Ramachander Rao criticized the government’s handling of matters concerning religious sentiment, alleging that state policy had contributed to conditions enabling such incidents. He maintained that the responsibility for safeguarding temples and other religious institutions lies squarely with the state government, which, he said, must be held accountable.
Goshamahal MLA T. Raja Singh also weighed in, demanding an impartial and unbiased investigation into the incident, along with stringent action against the accused should he be found guilty. He further questioned Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over the level of security being provided to Hindu temples and devotees across the state.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay also strongly condemned the incident and spoke with the Hyderabad Commissioner of Police regarding the matter. He demanded strict action against those found responsible and called on the state government to adopt dedicated measures to strengthen security for temples and devotees. Stressing the need to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, Bandi Sanjay urged the government to respond without delay and take appropriate action against those responsible.