Rajanna Sircilla district was gripped by tension after the murti of Bhagwan Rama was discovered vandalized in Mandepalli village of Thangallapalli Mandal. The shocking incident came to light on Monday morning when the temple pujari arrived to perform daily religious rituals and found the desecrated idol at the Hanuman temple in KCR Nagar Double Bedroom Colony.
Upon learning about the incident, local Hindus, members of the VHP, and BJP leaders staged protests demanding strict action against the culprits. They filed a complaint at the local police station, following which an FIR was registered against the miscreants under Sections 329(4) and 324(4) of the BNS Act.
The incident reportedly followed a family event attended by members of the local Muslim community the previous evening, raising suspicions about the perpetrators. While locals alleged that authorities initially attempted to downplay the incident, mounting pressure from the community forced the police to intervene.
Protestors accused the Congress-led state government of failing to safeguard Hindu religious sites, alleging that such incidents have become part of a larger agenda to intimidate and demoralize the Hindu community.
Demonstrators blocked the Sircilla-Siddipet road near the Maneru bridge, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible and the installation of new idols.
The police arrived at the scene to pacify the protestors and assured swift action and seized the CCTV footage of the area.
Speaking to Organiser weekly, local VHP leader Ashok said, “This is not an isolated incident. The head of the murti was deliberately severed and left on the ground, clearly indicating a calculated attempt to disrespect the religious sentiments of Hindus. Such acts of desecration have become routine, with authorities failing to act decisively. The attack on the Mutyalamma temple in Secunderabad, the vandalism in Shamshabad, and the desecration of Saraswati Mata murti in Medak are recent examples of this growing trend.
These attacks continue to occur because of the police’s negligence in taking swift and decisive action, effectively emboldening criminals to carry out such acts and evade justice. The perpetrators are fully aware of their actions, driven by an apparent hatred for idols. For them, desecrating religious symbols seems to be a display of defiance, even perceived as an act of bravery.” he added.
The incident has drawn significant political attention as Rajanna Sircilla is represented by BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao, who has served three consecutive terms. Protestors criticized the BRS government for its alleged indifference toward safeguarding Hindu religious symbols and called for decisive measures to prevent such acts in the future.
