Hyderabad: All the cases related to the vandalism of an idol at Muthyalamma Temple and the subsequent outbreak of violence have been transferred from local police stations to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Crime Station (CCS). The decision was taken by Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand on Oct 26, but came to light on Wednesday.
On October 14, Salman Salim Thakur allegedly went inside a temple and resorted to vandalism. In connection with this, a case was registered against him. During the probe, police came to know that he was allegedly acting under the influence of Mumbai-based Munawar Zama, and a separate case was registered against him by the SIT, accusing him of promoting differences between groups.
Police already arrested Salman, who is undergoing treatment for the injuries he suffered after locals caught him and thrashed him black and blue. Alleging inaction on the part of the police, different Hindu organisations staged protests in the city which turned violent, leading to riots and a lathicharge.
Initially, it was the local police who registered criminal cases for these offences. However, the police commissioner has directed the local Market Police and Gopalpuram Police to transfer the cases to the SIT, a specialised unit to probe communal-related cases.
