The Sakal Hindu Samaj in Pune district's Mulshi taluka took out a massive protest march on Monday, condemning the incident of a Muslim youth desecrating an idol of Goddess Annapurna at Nageshwar Temple in Paud village.
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Locals also observed a "bandh" in Mulshi taluka in response to the incident. A graphic of the announcement had been circulated on social media since Saturday. It read, "We condemn the desecration of the idol of Goddess Annapurna at Nageshwar Temple in Paud village. In response, the Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mulshi will observe a shutdown on Monday."
Meanwhile, in response, a 44-year-old man, identified as Naushad Shaikh, has been arrested, and his 16-year-old son, who committed the act, has been detained.
The act, captured on CCTV footage, has triggered outrage. Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane reacted strongly to the incident. Sharing the CCTV clip on X, he wrote, "You will get a befitting reply!"
According to officials, the incident occurred on Friday, when the minor was caught on surveillance footage entering the temple and making obscene, sexually explicit gestures toward the idol of Goddess Annapurna.
Unaware that his actions were being recorded, the minor carried on with the disgusting act, leading to shock and fury among temple-goers and residents of the village.
A local devotee who had gone to offer prayers noticed the condition of the idol and immediately informed others. They reviewed the CCTV footage, which exposed the desecration in its entirety. The community was stunned by the visuals, which quickly went viral.
Senior Inspector Santosh Girigosavi of the Paud Police Station stated that when locals approached the accused's family, they were met with indifference. The locals said that the father not only failed to express any remorse but also allegedly issued threats to the villagers who confronted him over the incident.
In response, villagers filed a police complaint, prompting the authorities to register a case against both the father and the minor son. The FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 196, 298, 299, 302, 351(2), and 3(5).
The accused father, a bakery worker by profession, hails from Bihar, though the minor son was born in Paud and had studied locally up to Class 4, police said.
Despite the intensity of public emotion, police officials assured that the situation in the area remained under control. Additional security personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order and prevent any escalation.
(With IANS inputs)
