There was a huge uproar on Wednesday morning over the Shri Dwimukhi Hanuman Temple in Barkas area of Chandrayangutta Zone in the old city of Hyderabad. According to reports, the rumor that the 400-year-old idol of Hanumanji present in the temple was being demolished created a sensation in the area. In the morning, when the temple priest and local devotees arrived for darshan, they became angry after seeing the pieces of the idol scattered there, after which the police had to reach the spot. However, the police who arrived immediately brought the situation under control and clarified that the ‘chandan’ (coating) applied on the idol had fallen off with time, while the original idol was safe.
Accused of damaging the idol by entering the temple
Local people said that unknown miscreants took advantage of the silence of the night and entered the temple and damaged the idol. As soon as this news spread in the morning, an atmosphere of tension was created in the area and people took to the streets and registered their protest. Meanwhile, Chandrayanagutta Inspector R. Handling the situation, Gopi said that in the preliminary investigation no evidence of any kind of molestation or attack has been found.
He clarified that the sandalwood on the old idol fell due to drying, which people misinterpreted as the idol breaking. To investigate the matter in depth, the police have started reviewing the footage of CCTV cameras installed nearby so that any kind of conspiracy can be detected.
Police appealed not to pay attention to rumors on social media
In view of this incident, ACP S. While addressing the media, Srinivas appealed to the public not to pay attention to the rumors spreading on social media. He said that in view of the recent incidents, the police have increased their vigilance and are keeping a close watch on suspicious activities. He assured that the police is fully prepared to maintain law and order and strict action will be taken against anyone found spreading rumors or violating the law.
In the last few months, incidents of damage to idols in temples have come to light in many parts of the state, due to which there is an atmosphere of dissatisfaction and fear in a particular community. For this reason, this incident in Barkas increased the anxiety within the people, although the police administration is calling it not a conspiracy but a technical reason. At present, the administration has deployed additional police forces in the area to maintain peace and is fully prepared to deal with any emergency.
