Hyderabad:

A 30-year-old engineering graduate, who allegedly desecrated an idol at a temple here on October 14, was self-radicalised by watching videos of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and others on social media and was earlier involved in similar incidents in Mumbai, the Hyderabad Police said on Wednesday.

Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman entered the sanctum-sanctorum of Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad early on Monday and desecrated the main idol of the temple, triggering protests by local people, Hindu outfits and the BJP.

Angered by the “provocative and mischievous” act, some local residents thrashed the accused.

The police took the accused into custody and shifted him to a hospital.

The accused is under treatment for internal injuries and his condition remains serious, police said, adding an FIR was registered against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigation revealed that Salman, a native of Mumbai, started watching videos of Islamic preachers like Zakir Naik on social media, a release by the Hyderabad Police said.

“He is active on social media. We got information (about him watching videos of Naik and other Islamic preachers) after analysing his mobile phone and his social media (activities),” a police official said.

He became “self-radicalised and developed a radical mindset and hatred” towards the practices of other religions like idolatry, it said.

The Maharashtra Police have booked him earlier for his alleged involvement of damaging idols in Mumbai.

Earlier this month, Salman came to Hyderabad to attend a month-long personality development workshop, police said.

It was found that a hotel’s premises were rented illegally for running the academic course which has no formal permission, and necessary legal action is being taken up against the management in this regard, they added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused fugitive Islamic preacher Zakir Naik of trying to mislead Indian Muslims and spreading “false propaganda” over the government’s Waqf Amendment Bill. The controversial preacher had said the proposed law bore “evil repercussions” and appealed to the Muslims to send in their rejections to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the Indian Parliament that is examining the Bill. Sharing a QR code and an URL to an online petition, he said at least 5 million Indian Muslims must send their rejections by September 13.

Mr Rijiju called Naik’s online post as “misleading” and “false propaganda”.

“Please do not mislead the innocent Muslims from outside our country. India is a democratic country and people have the right to their own opinion. False propaganda will lead to wrong narratives,” said the Union Minister.

Naik, wanted in India for alleged money laundering and hate speeches, had left the country in 2016.

The Waqf Amendment Bill envisages changes to the existing version on 44 points. This includes the inclusion of two non-Muslim persons, a Union Minister, three MPs and senior IAS officers in the Waqf board. The amendments also require the inclusion of women.

Read | “No Interference In Any Religious Body”: Kiren Rijiju Defends Waqf Bill

The Bill has been criticised as “draconian” by the Opposition parties, but the government said it would lead to transparency and benefits to women and children by protecting their inheritance.

The Waqf Board must use the money it receives for the welfare of widows, divorcees, and orphans the way the government suggests, according to the amendments.

Mr Rijiju had earlier said in the Parliament that the Waqf boards were captured by “some people” and the Bill was brought to give justice to the ordinary Muslims.

New Delhi:

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday indicated that his government may consider India’s request to extradite controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik if it provides evidence against him.

At an interactive session at the Indian Council of World Affairs, Mr Ibrahim also said that the issue shouldn’t deter the two countries from enhancing bilateral relations.

To a specific question, he said the issue was not raised by the Indian side during Tuesday’s talks.

Zakir Naik is wanted by the Indian authorities for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches. He left India in 2016.

The Islamic preacher was granted permanent residency in Malaysia by the previous government led by Mahathir Mohamed.

“Firstly, it was not raised by the (Indian side), Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) did raise it much earlier, some years back… But the issue is I am not talking about one person, I am talking about the sentiment of extremism, of a compelling case and evidence that suggest the atrocities committed by an individual or group or faction or parties,” Mr Ibrahim said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister said his government is “open to any ideas and evidence submitted”.

“We will not condone terrorism… We have been tough and we have been working together with India on many of these issues, against terrorism. But I don’t think this one case should deter us from further collaboration and enhancing our bilateral cooperation,” he said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister began his three-day visit to India last night in his first trip to the country after becoming the Prime Minister in 2022.

Mr Ibrahim also criticised Israel’s military actions in Gaza and described the overall situation as the “sheer hypocrisy” of the West.

“The atrocities of Israeli forces in Gaza that’s real, killing 40,000 people. That is an atrocity,” he said. “We must give a very clear message that this hypocrisy must end. You can’t talk about genocide in Ukraine because of the bombing of some villages, and 40,000 people killed (in Gaza as) the impact of war and you can condone that,” he said in response to a question.

“This is shocking and I call it sheer hypocrisy. It is long-standing but it has to end,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter whether the victims are Muslims or Christians or Hindus or Buddhists or whatever. They are human beings and in this age for us (to say) that ‘I am sorry, nothing can be done’, is atrocious,” he said.