The police in Hyderabad on Saturday arrested five Bajrang Dal activists for vandalising a restaurant and damaging property at a mall in the city's information technology hub on Friday, while protesting against Valentine's Day celebrations.
They have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act for rioting, trespass, destroying property and criminal intimidation, by the Madhapur and Gachibowli police stations.
According to A Venkateswar Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Police, a group of 10 to 15 people damaged properties and caused trouble in the IT hub.
The Bajrang Dal activists moved in a group on two-wheelers from KPHB towards Hitec city and attacked an ice cream shop. Carrying flags, they were raising slogans against Valentine's Day. They also targeted ABN Sharat Mall, Bikanervala restaurant and Inorbit Mall.
When the police reached Inorbit Mall, they escaped. The accused were identified with the help of CCTV footage and apprehended, the police said.
The arrested youth have been identified as N Ajay Singh, Vadthya Arjun, Korra Santosh, G Pavan Kumar and Polari Tirupathi.
"Some more accused have been identified as Subash, Kiran, Datta Sai, Sai Reddy, Venkat and others. Efforts are on to arrest them," the DCP said.
Those who had been arrested were presented in front of a local court and sent to judicial remand.
A Police team of #Madhapur_Police_Station, #Cyberabad #apprehended the following activists of #Bajrang_dal who resorted to vandalism and created havoc in IT areas on 14-02-2020 on the eve of Valentine day @TelanganaDGP @hydcitypolice @RachakondaCop pic.twitter.com/6IFaudSYIv
— Cyberabad Police (@cyberabadpolice) February 15, 2020
The video of the incident which had been widely shared on the internet showed the miscreants shouting “Band karo, band karo, Valentine’s day band karo! (Stop Valentine’s Day)” inside a restaurant as they burst red balloons meant for decoration.
A couple of videos showed the same men having an argument with staff at Inorbit mall and indulging in vandalism even as others tried to prevent them from raising slogans and destroying the mall's property.
Following their arrest, Minister for Information Technology and Industry KT Rama Rao praised the police for acting swiftly to arrest the accused.
"Well done Vandalism has no place in a civil society and more so in a beautiful city like Hyderabad," tweeted Rama Rao.
Well done Vandalism has no place in a civil society & more so in a beautiful city like Hyderabad
— KTR (@KTRTRS) February 15, 2020
Thanks for acting swiftly @cpcybd @TelanganaDGP https://t.co/De06img8LX
IANS inputs