SIDDIPET: Uneasy calm prevailed in Gajwel on Tuesday after local youths caught one person while he was easing himself in front of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue in the town and handed him over to the police for hurting their sentiments. The youths also handed over the CCTV footage which captured him urinating in front of the statue.
The youths, after catching the vandal who belongs to another community, took him to the police station in the middle of last night on foot and turned him over to them. While he was being taken to the police station, a few youths roughed him up.
After the incident, the police posted heavy security in the town to prevent the breakdown of law and order.
Before taking him to the police station, the youths removed his shirt and made him touch the feet of the statue of Shivaji.
After dawn broke on Tuesday, many youths gathered at the statue and purified it by washing it with milk. After that, a rally was taken out in the town even as another group took out a rally in protest against roughing up the youth last night.
As both groups took out rallies. The police persuaded them to suspend their rallies and return home. Siddipet Police Commissioner Swetha Reddy said that the main suspect who was responsible for the incident and two others who helped him were also arrested and sent to remand.
The CP disclosed that cases were also being registered in connection with the incident of attacking each other on Monday, Tuesday night, and Tuesday. At present the situation in Gajwel town is under complete control and she appealed to people from all walks of life to exercise restraint.
Controversial casino organiser Chikoti Praveen was also present at the ceremony of washing the Chhatrapati Shivaji with milk. He said that a group of people deliberately acted to hurt the sentiments of Hindus by insulting Shivaji. A heavy police force has been deployed in the town.