The cat was seen carrying a large chunk of meat in its mouth in the CCTV footage. Photo: Tappachabutra Police
Hyderabad: CCTV footage shows cat brought meat into temple, puts theories to rest
Police said in one of the CCTV footages a cat is seen carrying the meat in its mouth and leaving it behind the Shiva Lingam
The discovery of meat inside a temple in Hyderabad led to a major controversy and flare-up in religious sentiments among locals on Wednesday (February 12). While right-wing organisations and locals staged a protest demanding strict action against the culprits, police have confirmed that it was a cat that had carried the meat into the shrine, putting all conspiracy theories to rest.
Believers riled up
A commotion broke out on the premises of the Sankata Vimochana Hanuman Temple in Hyderabad’s Natraj Nagar on Wednesday (February 12) when a piece of meat, weighing around 250 grams, was found inside the shrine of Lord Shiva. A temple committee member spotted it first and assumed someone had thrown it near the (Shiva) lingam. The meat was also noticed by devotees who came to the temple to offer prayers.
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Riled up by the incident, BJP, BJYM and VHP members along with local residents staged a protest and raised slogans.
Conspiracy theories
Even as right-wing activists smelled a rat, a police team was dispatched to the place to investigate the incident.
While police initially suspected that the meat may have been brought inside the temple by an animal as the doors of the temple were locked, right-wing activists including BJP workers rejected the theory.
Goshamahal BJP MLA Raja Singh alleged that the police was making excuses and demanded strict action in the issue. In a post on X, he alleged that under Congress rule “anti-social elements” were attempting to disrupt peace by targeting the Hanuman Mandir.
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CCTV shows cat sneaking in the meat
Now CCTV visuals have proved that it was the innocuous act of a stray cat.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, G Chandra Mohan, of the South West Zone in Hyderabad said four teams were created to study the CCTV footage in the surrounding area to get to the bottom of the matter.
CCTV footage from the north-facing temple camera revealed that the ‘culprit’ was a cat carrying a piece of meat in its mouth and entering the temple premises. The furry intruder had left the meat behind the Shiva Lingam for appalled temple-goers to discover later that morning.
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Mohan has also appealed to citizens to refrain from spreading rumours.