Mentally ill Muslim youth beaten over false namaz claim in Telangana temple
Hyderabad: A mentally ill Muslim youth was beaten by Hindu villagers after being seen inside the Ayyappa Swamy Temple in Telangana state, sparking concern over communal harassment and mistreatment of the vulnerable, particularly Muslims.
According to Kashmir Media Service, video footage of the incident which has gone viral on social media shows a man wearing a red shirt lying injured and exhausted on the ground inside the temple premises. Several Hindu villagers are seen standing around him in Pratap Singaram village, under the Medipally police limits in Hyderabad’s suburbs.
The Hindu Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) claimed that the youth had entered the temple premises to offer namaz on the roof of a shed.
Police later confirmed that the man, who kept repeating the words “Zubair” and “Bihar”, was suffering from mental illness. After a medical examination, a local court directed that he be admitted to the Erragadda Mental Health Hospital for treatment.
Speaking to reporters, the Medipally Assistant Commissioner of Police said, “The Muslim youth is not able to communicate properly. During questioning, he kept repeating only two words — ‘Zubair’ and ‘Bihar’.”
Local Muslim residents expressed concern over the incident, saying that a mentally ill person should not have been assaulted. On resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “If he was mentally unwell, people should have shown humanity. Instead of beating him, they should have called the police straight away.”
Another community member added, “False claims that he was offering namaz inside the temple have made the situation worse. This kind of narrative puts ordinary Muslims at risk.”
