A man suspected to be mentally unsound was arrested for allegedly vandalising a Durga idol at a pandal in the Nampally Exhibition Grounds, Telangana. The incident, which took place late Thursday night, has sparked controversy, but police have clarified that no communal motive is involved.
The man, identified as a vagabond, wandered into the grounds during a Dandiya program on Thursday night. According to authorities, he stayed in the area and entered the pandal around 3 AM on Friday in search of food. In the process, he scattered items within the pandal, which resulted in partial damage to the Durga idol, as per a report on PTI.
Inspector Vijay of Begumbazar Police Station explained that the accused was unable to provide coherent information during questioning, leading investigators to believe that he is mentally unstable. "He moved the hundi (donation box) and caused the goddess Durga’s idol’s hand to fall off," said Vijay.
While a case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the police have also filed a separate case against the event organizers for failing to comply with the requirement of round-the-clock volunteer presence at the pandal.
The arrest took place on Friday night, following which local political tensions escalated. BJP leader K. Madhavi Latha visited the site of the incident and condemned the act. She criticized the situation, describing it as "uncivilized" and "communal in nature."
Latha demanded swift action from the authorities and warned of a protest if the culprits were not apprehended within 24 hours. "We will stage a dharna at the police station if there is no action by tomorrow," she stated.
The police reiterated that the incident was not driven by communal intent but by the actions of a disturbed individual.