During the Mahashivratri festivities at a temple in Telangana's Siddipet district on Friday, the Telangana Police utilized lathi-charge tactics on devotees, including women, according to a video of the incident circulated widely on social media platforms.
In response to the incident, the Siddipet Commissioner of Police asserted that law enforcement officers did not engage in physical assault but rather were endeavoring to deter devotees from scaling the eight-foot barricade surrounding the Komuravelli Temple. The primary objective was to uphold order and ensure the safety of all participants during the religious procession, which ultimately concluded without further disruptions, as stated by the commissioner.
Expressing condemnation for the episode, Telangana BJP vice president Vishnu Vardhan Reddy emphasized the need for Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to take decisive measures against the officers implicated in the occurrence.
"In a disturbing episode at Komuravelli Temple, #Telangana, innocent devotees, including women, faced police baton charges. Such aggression towards worshippers is intolerable," Reddy remarked in a message shared on X.
"I implore CM @revanth_anumula to enforce stringent actions against the law enforcement personnel involved in this deplorable act," the BJP leader reiterated in the communication.
In anticipation of the Mahashivratri observances, over 300 police personnel were deployed at the temple to oversee law enforcement and maintain orderliness.
