LUCKNOW: A 23-year-old Muslim man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly desecrating idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Shani at a temple in Chowk area in Lucknow, police said.
“Sporting vermilion on his forehead, a heavily drunk Taufiq Ahmad entered Lete Huye Hanumanji mandir premises and knocked off the head of Lord Shani idol by hitting it with a brick.
He then uprooted the idol of Lord Hanuman and damaged the flag fixed in his hand. He was overpowered by the devotees and handed over to police,” said DCP, East, Prachi Singh.
Singh told TOI that terror angle was being probed by agencies like Anti-Terrorist Squad.
“Right now, nothing of the sort has surfaced and the agencies were working on the case,” she said.
The official said Ahmad, a resident of Haiderganj locality of Bairagi Tola under Bazaarkhala police station area, initially mentioned his name as Shiva.
“He has been booked under charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth (153-A), injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class (295A) of the IPC and other similar charges besides forgery and criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and under the provisions of 7 Criminal Law Amendment act. He is being interrogated,” she said.
Earlier, the police had registered a case on the complaint of chairman and managing trustee of Lete Huye Hanumanji Mandir, Panchvati Ghat, Vivek Tangri.
In his complaint, Tangri said he got a call from priest Amar Mishra who informed him about the incident.
“The crown of Lord Shani and other parts were found broken. Lord Hanuman’s statue was also damaged,” Tangri said.
The accused was also taken for a medical test after it came to fore that he was heavily intoxicated.
Sources in police department said: “Soon after getting information, senior officials decided to get the issue probed by top agencies to find if there was any terror angle. Police have collected details of the accused like his education, family and with whom he was in contact with.”
The police also took prompt action to ensure that no rumours were spread in this regard that could lead to a law and order problem.
“Sporting vermilion on his forehead, a heavily drunk Taufiq Ahmad entered Lete Huye Hanumanji mandir premises and knocked off the head of Lord Shani idol by hitting it with a brick.
He then uprooted the idol of Lord Hanuman and damaged the flag fixed in his hand. He was overpowered by the devotees and handed over to police,” said DCP, East, Prachi Singh.
Singh told TOI that terror angle was being probed by agencies like Anti-Terrorist Squad.
“Right now, nothing of the sort has surfaced and the agencies were working on the case,” she said.
The official said Ahmad, a resident of Haiderganj locality of Bairagi Tola under Bazaarkhala police station area, initially mentioned his name as Shiva.
“He has been booked under charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth (153-A), injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class (295A) of the IPC and other similar charges besides forgery and criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and under the provisions of 7 Criminal Law Amendment act. He is being interrogated,” she said.
Earlier, the police had registered a case on the complaint of chairman and managing trustee of Lete Huye Hanumanji Mandir, Panchvati Ghat, Vivek Tangri.
In his complaint, Tangri said he got a call from priest Amar Mishra who informed him about the incident.
“The crown of Lord Shani and other parts were found broken. Lord Hanuman’s statue was also damaged,” Tangri said.
The accused was also taken for a medical test after it came to fore that he was heavily intoxicated.
Sources in police department said: “Soon after getting information, senior officials decided to get the issue probed by top agencies to find if there was any terror angle. Police have collected details of the accused like his education, family and with whom he was in contact with.”
The police also took prompt action to ensure that no rumours were spread in this regard that could lead to a law and order problem.