Video of vandalized Durga idol in Hyderabad shared with false communal spin

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media claims that members of the Muslim community vandalized a Durga pandal (temporary shrine) in Hyderabad, Telangana, damaging an idol of the Hindu deity Durga. The video shows police officers and a crowd inside the pandal, where one of the idol’s hands appears broken, and offerings are scattered around the shrine.

A Facebook user shared the video (archived here) in Assamese, stating, “Muslims vandalized Maa Durga idol and altar at a Muslim-dominated area in Hyderabad.”

Screenshot of a post sharing the viral video. (Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

However, the incident has been shared with a false communal angle. According to news reports and Hyderabad police, the vandalism was committed by a homeless Hindu man with a mental health condition, not by a Muslim individual as claimed. 

What did we find?

A reverse image search of the video’s keyframes led to a report by the local news outlet Telangana Today, featuring similar visuals. The incident occurred at a Durga pandal at Exhibition Ground in Nampally, Hyderabad. The Begum Bazar police station arrested Krishnaiah Goud, a homeless man from Nagarkurnool district, in connection with the vandalism. Central Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Akshansh Yadav confirmed that Goud has a mental health condition and entered the venue in search of food, as per the report.

 Screenshot of a Telangana Today report featuring the viral visuals. (Source: Telangana Today/Screenshot)

The Siasat Daily also covered the story, specifying that the incident took place on the night of October 10, 2024. The report also quoted the DCP as saying, “There is no communal angle to the incident."

A report by The Times of India corroborated these findings, confirming that Goud suffers from a mental health condition and noting that two separate cases were registered.

What have the police said?

Based on these reports, we found an X post (archived here) by news agency ANI where DCP Yadav identified the accused as Krishnaiah Goud, a 45-50-year-old homeless man from Nagarkurnool. Yadav stated, “He is a vagabond who roams the streets and sleeps on footpaths. At around 3 a.m., feeling hungry, he entered the pandal looking for food. While searching, he disturbed the Prasadam, causing the idol to be damaged.” Yadav added that the incident resulted from negligence by the puja organizers, who have also been booked.

A YouTube video (archived here) from Overseas News, uploaded on October 12, 2024, further confirmed Goud's involvement, his mental health condition, and the registration of two cases—one against the organizers and one against Goud.

G. Vijay Kumar, Station House Officer of Begum Bazar police station, ruled out any communal angle, stating, “We have arrested Krishnaiah Goud, who has a mental health condition and is a Hindu. There is no communal angle in this case.”

Police statements and media reports confirm that the vandalism was not carried out by a Muslim individual.

The verdict

The Durga idol was damaged by a Hindu man with a mental health condition who entered the pandal searching for food. There is no communal angle to the incident, contrary to the claims on social media.