Remarks against Lord Ayyappa: Devotees hold protests denouncing Bairi Naresh

Hyderabad: A case was registered against a man on Friday for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees after a video purportedly showed him making ‘derogatory’ comments on the lord went viral in Telangana, police said.

B Naresh, was accused of making the remarks on Ayyappa and hurting the religious sentiments of the devotees and Hindus at large, while addressing a meeting in Vikarabad district on December 19, they said.

The complainant said while he was browsing social media platform today, he saw the video of Naresh allegedly making the ‘derogatory’ comments and lodged the complaint. The comments were made deliberately with an ulterior motive to ridicule and hurt the religious feelings of Hindus and purposefully to hurt the devotees who take Ayyappa Deeksha, the complainant said adding his religious feelings were deeply hurt.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Kodangal police station against the man under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and other relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code, police said.

Protests were also held at some places in Hyderabad over the comments.

A senior police official said the man is absconding and further probe is on.