VHP issues 48-hour ultimatum to Telangana govt to suspend cops over lathicharge

A day after the police lathicharged activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and other Hindu outfits who were protesting against the desecration of a temple idol in Secunderabad, the VHP on Sunday gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the Telangana government to suspend the cops who resorted to the strict action.
VHP state chief spokesperson Bala Swamy said: “The state government is attacking Hindus. The Chief Minister of Telangana has not made any statement on the vandalism of idols at the temple…The person of vandalised the idol is a terrorist… Telangana police are not taking any steps to arrest those responsible for the incident.”
 
“The police lathi-charged the members of VHP, Bajrang Dal…We are issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to the Telangana government to suspend the police officers who lathi-charged the workers who were protesting outside the Secunderabad temple…,” Swamy added.
On October 14, Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman, an engineering graduate from Maharashtra, allegedly entered the sanctum-sanctorum of Shri Muthyalamma Devi temple in Secunderabad in the early hours and desecrated the main idol of the temple, triggering protests by locals, Hindu organisations and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Activists of several Hindu outfits held protests and gathered in front of the temple holding saffron flags.
They raised slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “We want justice”.
Video footage shows protesters throwing water packets at the police and several people were injuried following a lathi charge.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) Rashmi Perumal told PTI that mostly policemen were injured in the incident and they are verifying details.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union Minister of State for Home, said that the BJP condemned the lathi charge on protestors.
“Instead of taking serious action against the culprit who vandalised the Mutyalamma idol, the government is targeting those protesting against the crime. I strongly condemn the high-handed behaviour of the police and the lathi charge on Hindu Vahini and BJP members protesting at the Mutyalamma temple,” Sanjay said on X on Saturday.