Incident of Temple Desecration Sparks Investigation in Hyderabad

The Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, was the site of a shocking desecration incident carried out by Salman Salim Thakur, a 30-year-old man from Mumbra, Maharashtra. The Hyderabad North Zone police identified Thakur as the culprit after he entered the temple premises early on October 14, 2024, and vandalized the main idol.

Thakur, who holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in computer engineering, was in Hyderabad to attend a personality development workshop at Hotel Metropolis. According to a statement from the police, Salman was influenced by radical Islamic preachers, including Zakir Naik, and had shown increasing hostility towards Hindu practices through his social media activities.

Prior to this incident, Thakur was purportedly involved in similar acts in Mumbai, including an altercation at a Ganesh pandal in September 2022 and vandalizing another temple in August 2024. Hyderabad police have booked him under Sections 333, 331(4), 196, 298, and 299 of the BNS, which pertain to charges including trespassing, vandalism, and offending religious sentiments.

The situation has prompted local authorities to intensify law enforcement in the area. A meeting led by the DCP North Zone was held with stakeholders from over 200 lodges and hotels to ensure compliance with regulations such as the Telangana State Public Safety Act.

As part of the crackdown, the trade licence of Hotel Metropolis has been suspended, and the premises sealed. A case has also been registered against the hotel management and the event organizer, Munawar Zama. The police emphasized the need for hotels to maintain visitor logs, obtain proper identification, and seek permissions for events.

In a related development, the Hyderabad police have also charged Munawar Zama, a motivational speaker, and two associates for allegedly inciting religious hatred through the workshop. Zama, along with Abdul Rasheed Basheer Ahmed and Rehman, the owner and manager of Hotel Metropolis, allegedly used the event to provoke anti-Hindu sentiments. Participants, including Thakur, were said to have been influenced by these teachings during the workshop.

Additional charges under Sections 299, 192, 196, 223, and 49 of the BNS have been filed against them for promoting enmity among different religious groups and provoking riots. Authorities are scrutinizing workshop materials and participant backgrounds as part of ongoing investigations.

The investigation is active, with police reviewing recordings and materials distributed at the workshop. Zama is known as the founder of English House Academy, where he operates as a motivational speaker.