Telangana: Man Arrested For Hyderabad Temple Idol Desecration Was "Self-Radicalised" After Watching Hate Preacher Zakir Naik's Videos

A man arrested for desecrating a temple idol in Telangana on 14 October was self-radicalised after watching videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and others on social media, Hyderabad Police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman, was earlier involved in similar incidents in Mumbai.

Salman entered the sanctum-sanctorum of Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad early on Monday (14 October) and desecrated the main idol of the temple, triggering protests by local people, Hindu outfits and the BJP.

Angered by the "provocative and mischievous" act, some local residents thrashed the accused.

The police took the accused into custody and shifted him to a hospital.

The accused is under treatment for internal injuries and his condition remains serious, police said, adding an FIR was registered against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police investigation, Salman, a 30-year-old engineering graduate and a native of Mumbai, started watching videos of Islamic preachers like Zakir Naik on social media.

"He started watching Islamic religious preachers’ videos like fugitive Zakir Naik and others on Facebook and Youtube. He became self-radicalized and developed a radical bent mind and hatred towards the practices of other/Hindu religion like idolatory etc," the Hyderabad police said in a statement.

The Maharashtra Police have booked him earlier for his alleged involvement of damaging idols in Mumbai.

In 2022, he was booked for entering a Ganesh Pandal with his footwear and mocking the practice of idol worship, an act that angered devotees. Earlier this year, he was arrested once again for damaging the idol of Lord Shankar at a temple in Mira-Bhayandar, Maharashtra.

Earlier this month, Salman came to Hyderabad to attend a month-long personality development workshop, the police said.

It was found that a hotel's premises were rented illegally for running the academic course which has no formal permission, and necessary legal action is being taken up against the management in this regard, they added.

Also Read: All NDA Chief Ministers, Deputy CMs To Assemble In Chandigarh Today With PM Modi For Key Conclave Ahead Of Maharashtra, Jharkhand Polls