Safilguda Temple Desecration: One Person Arrested, BJP president N. Ramchandra Rao Demands Encounter of Accused

Hyderabad: A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly trespassing into the Katta Maisamma Temple in Safilguda and indulging in indecent acts in front of the idol, police said on Sunday.

The incident triggered strong protests and condemnation from the BJP, Hindu organisations and devotees, who alleged that the accused urinated inside the temple premises on Saturday night, thereby desecrating the sacred place.

A video has gone viral on social media in which a few people are seen questioning the accused about the incident and allegedly assaulting him in front of the temple.

A case has been registered against the accused at the Neredmet Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for illegal entry into a place of worship and hurting religious sentiments.

The accused, identified as Altaf, a native of Bidar district in neighbouring Karnataka, was arrested and produced before a city magistrate on January 11. The court remanded him to judicial custody.

In a press release, the Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate said that the background and criminal history of the accused are being verified and that further action will be taken strictly according to law.

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchandra Rao visited the temple and described the incident as highly offensive. He demanded that the accused be “encountered” for the alleged desecration of the temple.

Targeting the Congress government in Telangana, Ramchandra Rao alleged that it was competing with Pakistan and Bangladesh in terms of attacks on Hindus. In a post on X, he said that while he respects human rights, those who speak the language of “sar tan se juda” and are involved in desecration of temples should be dealt with strictly.

He expressed surprise over what he termed the silence of the Congress, BRS, other secular parties and the media over the incident. He said that the Telangana BJP would not remain a silent spectator and would take to the streets to protect Hindu faith, temples and dignity. “Hindus will not remain silent. There will be no compromise on faith,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police have appealed to the public not to believe rumours and unverified information circulating on social media. Citizens have been requested to rely only on official police statements and cooperate with the investigation. The police warned that spreading false and misleading information could create unnecessary fear and disturb public peace, and urged all sections of society to maintain calm and harmony.