Secunderabad temple vandalism: Suspect identified, found to be involved in similar cases

According to the Hyderabad Police investigating the case, the suspect was influenced by speeches of Islamic speakers online and developed a radical mindset towards other communities

Hyderabad: The suspect in temple desecration at Kummariguda in Secunderabad has been identified as Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman (30) of Maharashtra who had come to the city a month ago to attend a personality development workshop.

According to the Hyderabad Police investigating the case, the suspect was influenced by speeches of Islamic speakers online and developed a radical mindset towards other communities.

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Salman, who belonged to Mumbra in Maharashtra, is a Computer Engineering graduate and active on social media. He allegedly started watching religious preachers videos like fugitive Zakir Naik and others on Facebook and YouTube and got influenced. The police said he became self-radicalised and developed a radical bent mind and hatred towards the practices of other religions.

Initial investigation has revealed that the miscreant came to Hyderabad in the first week of October to attend a month-long personality development workshop organised by English House Academy under Munawar Zama, Mohd. Kafeel Ahmed and others at a hotel located in Rezimental Bazar.

The police found the hotel premises was rented illegally for running the academic course and had no formal permission. Officials said necessary legal action was being taken against the hotel management for the same.

Earlier involved in similar cases:

The police investigations also revealed that the suspect was involved in similar incidents earlier in Mumbai. While in 2022, he entered into a Ganesh pandal with his footwear and argued with local resident mocking the practice of idolatry, in 2024, he trespassed into a temple and vandalised the idol at Mira Road.

Police officials requested citizens to avoid rumour mongering and speculation on the incident as the case was still under investigation.

In the early early hours of October 14, the suspect entered into the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple and desecrated the main idol. The Monda Market police are investigating.