In a troubling incident that has stirred public outrage, a Hindu temple in Secunderabad was vandalized on October 14. The main idol at the Sri Muthyalamma Temple, a place of local worship, was desecrated by Salman Salim Thakur, a 30-year-old resident of Mumbra near Mumbai, Maharashtra. Thakur, who had previously been involved in similar acts of vandalism, was apprehended by locals while attempting to deface the temple’s deity, and later handed over to the police.
Thakur is currently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during the incident, and police investigations have uncovered a troubling pattern of behavior linked to his radicalization.
Background and troubling past
This was not the first time Salman Thakur had engaged in acts of vandalism targeting religious idols. In 2022, he was booked for entering a Ganesh pandal in Mumbai with his footwear on and mocking the practice of idol worship, causing widespread anger among devotees. Earlier this year, he was again involved in a similar incident, where he damaged a Lord Shiva idol at a temple in Mira-Bhayandar, Maharashtra.
The authorities have indicated that Thakur’s actions stem from his self-radicalization over time. Analysis of his social media activity revealed that he had been watching videos by controversial Islamic preachers, including the fugitive Zakir Naik, whose messages have been linked to fostering extremist views. Exposure to such content reportedly fueled Thakur’s animosity towards idol worship, a practice central to Hinduism.
The Secunderabad vandalism
The vandalism occurred at the Sri Muthyalamma Temple, located near the regional passport office in Secunderabad. Thakur entered the sanctum sanctorum early in the morning and desecrated the main idol, triggering an immediate and angry response from the local community. Temple devotees and locals confronted him and beat him up, eventually overpowering him and handing him over to the police. CCTV footage corroborated eyewitness accounts, showing Thakur entering the temple and desecrating and damaging the idol.
The vandalism sparked protests from Hindu groups and political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who called for strict action against the perpetrators and accused the authorities of failing to protect Hindu places of worship.
Involvement of Munawar Zama and the illegal workshop
Investigations revealed that Thakur had arrived in Hyderabad earlier in October to attend a month-long personality development workshop organized by Munawar Zama, a “motivational speaker” and founder of the English House Academy, based in Mumbai. The workshop was held at Hotel Metropolis in Secunderabad, where Zama, along with his associate Md Kafeel Ahmed, allegedly conducted sessions that incited hatred against Hindus.
The authorities disclosed that the workshop had been organized illegally without the necessary permissions and that its content went beyond typical personality development training. The sessions reportedly involved speeches promoting religious hatred, with Zama accused of instigating participants, including Thakur, to engage in acts of violence. Police are examining conference recordings, distributed materials, and other documents to determine the full extent of the activities carried out at the workshop.
Legal actions and charges filed
Following the incident, the Hyderabad police sealed the Metropolis Hotel and filed a case against Munawar Zama, the hotel’s owner Abdul Rasheed Basheer Ahmed, and the manager Rehman. The three were charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 299 (outraging religious feelings), Section 192 (provocation with the intent to incite a riot), Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups based on religion), Section 223 (disobeying lawful orders), and Section 49 (abetment to commit a crime).
Authorities have taken suo motu action in this case, and are now investigating all 151 workshop participants, who had come from various parts of India. The hotel accommodated all attendees in its 49 rooms, which have since been vacated as part of the police action.
A pattern of radicalization
The investigation has pointed to a troubling pattern in Thakur’s behavior. Police reports and social media analyses indicate that Thakur, who is a computer engineering graduate, had become deeply influenced by radical Islamic content, particularly that of Zakir Naik. His exposure to these videos played a significant role in shaping his extremist views, which culminated in his attack on the temple. Authorities have linked Thakur’s radicalization to an increase in acts of vandalism targeting Hindu religious sites over the last two years.
Hindu Samaj is angry
The desecration of the temple has ignited anger within the Hindu community in Hyderabad, with local leaders and activists demanding justice. The police have vowed to hold all involved accountable, with senior officials overseeing the investigation closely. There are ongoing efforts to scrutinize the backgrounds of the workshop organizers, the materials presented during the sessions, and the involvement of other individuals in potential conspiracies to incite communal discord.
In light of the incident, there has been a renewed call for stricter regulations to prevent the radicalization of individuals through provocative religious content. Many have urged the government to clamp down on illegal workshops and closely monitor activities that may fuel communal tensions.
Influenced by radical Islamist preachers
Radical preachers like Zakir Naik and Munawar Zama are exploiting their platforms to fan the flames of extremism and hatred against Hindu practices. Zakir Naik, a fugitive notorious for his inflammatory sermons, continues to spread a toxic ideology that targets practices like idol worship, which is central to Hinduism. His hate-filled content is widely circulated on platforms like YouTube, radicalizing impressionable minds and encouraging a hostile attitude toward other faiths. The impact is clear in cases like that of Salman Salim Thakur, who, fueled by Naik’s rhetoric, developed a deep-seated hatred toward Hindu traditions, leading to his involvement in acts of temple vandalism.
Munawar Zama, disguised as a motivational speaker, is no different. Behind the façade of his English House Academy workshops lies a more sinister agenda. While these events are marketed as personality development sessions, they are instead breeding grounds for radicalization, where Zama incites hatred and provokes participants to act against non-Muslims. Thakur’s desecration of the Muthyalamma temple in Hyderabad was not an isolated incident but the direct result of Zama’s incitement, exposing how these workshops are being weaponized to push an extremist agenda.
The disturbing pattern here is one of radical preachers using digital and physical platforms to brainwash young Muslims into committing acts of violence in the name of jihad. The complicity of social media in allowing hate speech to proliferate unchecked only exacerbates the problem. Yet, time and again, the judiciary’s leniency with such offenders enables them to walk free on bail, only to repeat their crimes. It’s time to confront this double standard and demand stronger action against those who incite religious hatred and violence.
Mosque next to the Muthyalamma temple
Locals in Kummarguda, Secunderabad, are raising the alarm over the construction of a mosque adjacent to the historic Muthyalamma Temple, a site that has been a focal point of Hindu worship for centuries. The mosque, reportedly spanning four floors and accommodating around 40 Rohingya individuals, has raised questions about the motivations behind its establishment in an area that is predominantly Hindu, with 95-99% of residents identifying as such. The Muthyalamma Temple has been a central part of their faith and community for over 300 years, and the presence of a mosque in such close proximity is seen as a direct threat to their traditions and beliefs.
Adding to the concerns, locals have observed that around 300 Rohingya individuals gather daily at the nearby Metropolis Hotel, allegedly for spoken English classes. This influx of outsiders, many of whom have little connection to the local community, has further strained the sentiments of the long-standing residents. Questions are being raised about who granted permission for the mosque’s construction right next to such an important religious site. The locals are demanding accountability from authorities, insisting that they investigate how such a decision was made in a predominantly Hindu area.
Moreover, it is suggested that there may be larger plans afoot, with claims that the land is under the Waqf board’s purview and that around 30 lakhs will be required for further developments. Devotees of Muthyalamma are deeply concerned, fearing that this could be a part of a wider agenda to encroach upon their sacred space.
The residents are uniting in their call for the state and central governments to take decisive action against these developments. They are emphasizing their faith, devotion, and the need to protect the integrity of the Muthyalamma Temple, which has been a pillar of their community for hundreds of years. Their message is clear: they will not stand by as their religious heritage is threatened, and they are urging the authorities to ensure that their voices are heard.
