Bandh in Pune’s Mulshi area after desecration of local deity

Mulshi tehsil observed a complete shutdown after a Muslim minor, 16, entered the Nageshwar temple in Paud and made obscene gestures before desecrating a Goddess Annapurna idol, triggering outrage and prompting over 2,000 locals under the banner of ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’ to stage a protest march condemning the act and demanding strict action. The minor was unaware that he was being recorded.

Following the incident, a large police deployment, including additional forces, was in place to maintain law and order. The protesters met guardian minister Chandrakant Patil and submitted a memorandum demanding stern legal action.

Patil said, “This act is shameful and inhuman. The accused have been arrested and charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). We are also examining ways to prevent gatherings of thousands for Friday prayers when only 10 Muslims are local residents.”

Local resident Somnath Patil said that the video of the act, which has gone viral, left citizens shocked. “The bandh was peaceful. Residents are united against such anti-social behaviour,” he said. The CCTV footage shows the juvenile entering the temple and making obscene gestures before desecrating the idol, unaware he is being recorded. The video is doing the rounds of social media, further fanning tensions.

The police have detained the 16-year-old and arrested his father, Naushad Shaikh, 44. Senior inspector at Paud police station Santosh Girigosavi said that the villagers initially approached the boy’s family seeking an apology but were allegedly threatened by the boy’s father, forcing them to approach the police.

The police said that Shaikh, a bakery worker from Bihar, and his son, a class 4 dropout, had recently moved to the area.

Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne termed the desecration a deliberate attempt to hurt Hindu sentiments. “We will not tolerate insults to our religion,” he said. An FIR has been registered under BNS sections 196, 298, 299, 302, 351(2) and 3(5).