Two women held for desecrating idols

Saifabad police on Tuesday arrested two women who allegedly desecrated religious places in Chintal Basti area near Khairatabad. The women were carrying a hard tool to destroy the idols and reportedly, they attacked a person who attempted to restrain them. According to sources, the incident took place at around 9 a.m., when the women approached the Ramleela Maidan at Chintal Basti, and began desecrating a part of the idol installed there as part of Dasara festivities. Another idol at a church in the same locality was also desecrated. Locals who accosted the women dialled the police and handed them over for questioning. Saifabad police, during the preliminary investigation, said the women did not cooperate. Later, it was revealed that the two were sisters and mentally unstable. From their mother and the neighbours, it was found that the women earlier caused nuisance such as repeated knocking on doors and randomly screaming. The police, addressing mediapersons, with the women’s brother on their side, said treatment regarding their mental illnesses was examined. The women, for the acts on Tuesday, were booked under various charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, defiling religious places with intent to insult and provoking breach of peace, among other violations. The health condition of the accused women would be referred to a government hospital, and based on the findings, they will be produced before the magistrate, police said. Officials of the church and pandal organisers at Chintal Basti later in the day carried out repair works on the damaged idols. It was learnt that the groups were planning to take out a rally as a sign for peace and unity in the area.