Tension erupts again at city temple, officials seize hotel

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at the temple at Kummariguda in Secunderabad, which was recently vandalised by a miscreant, when residents and members of various religious groups organised pooja and other rituals on the road on Thursday.

Devotees, including women and youth, gathered at the temple where the idol was damaged by the miscreant earlier on Monday. They set up tents in front of the temple and performed pooja and other rituals.

The police personnel who were deployed for security following the incident stopped them, saying they had no prior permission for doing so and that they were blocking the lanes and causing an inconvenience to others. Even as the police personnel used force and removed the tents and carpets, the groups tried to stop them and protested. A tension prevailed briefly at the spot before the police dispersed them and brought the situation back under control.

On Thursday, the Revenue Department along with Market police evacuated the guests from the Metropolis Hotel near the Regional Passport Office in Secunderabad. The hotel premise was also seized by the revenue officials under police protection.

The Hyderabad police booked a case against popular motivational speaker Munawar Zama and Abdul Rasheed Basheer Ahmed and Rehman, owner and manager, respectively, of the Metropolis Hotel in Regimental Bazaar, for allegedly outraging feelings and provoking hatred. Police investigation confirmed that Salman attended the personality development workshop organised by English House Academy under Munawar Zama, Mohd Kafeel Ahmed, and others in the same hotel. The Gopalapuram police booked a case against them U/S 299, 192, 196, 223 and 49 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. The case was booked following a complaint made by a sub-inspector of Gopalapuram police station.