A large scale protest was organised in Hyderabad's Old City area on Thursday evening, and several Muslim organisations conducted a rally from Charminar to the office of the South Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The groups were protesting against alleged derogatory comments made on Prophet Mohammed by a Gujarati woman on social media, which went viral over the last two weeks.
Several senior Muslim leaders also participated in the protest, including AIMIM MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri and president All India Ulema and Mashaikh Board for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Syed Aale Mustafa Quadri Ali Pasha.
Protesters carried photos of the woman and beat it with slippers, besides shouting slogans, and demanding her arrest.
“She has insulted our religious sentiments and her blasphemous statements are aimed at causing communal disharmony," Syed Aulia Hussaini Murtuza Pasha, the founder of Sunni United Forum of India (SUFI) was quoted as saying.
A police officer who watched the video, told TNM that the video took several derogatory digs at Muslims.
The woman allegedly also argued that the Kaaba, Islam’s most holy site in Mecca, was actually a temple to Lord Shiva called Makkeshwar.
The claim, is in fact a conspiracy theory popular among right wing blogs and websites in India, often clubbed with the theory that Taj Mahal was a Shiva temple gifted to the Mughal emperor by a Rajput king, called Tejo Mahalaya.
According to the police officer, the woman also used several derogatory words about Polygamy in Islam, while constantly abusing Prophet Mohammed.
"The issue has actually been going on for more than two weeks, and protests are taking place in Rajkot in Gujarat as well. However, it flared up in Hyderabad now," says CI Ravi Chandra from the Charminar Police, the investigating officer of the case.
"We have registered a case against the woman, for promoting enmity between religious groups and hurting religious sentiments. We have sent a special team to Rajkot, and we will get further clarity about her whereabouts, after investigation," he added.
Dangar's video has also sparked off several 'counter' videos, that are also being circulated on YouTube and Facebook.
Lady Don
A simple google search shows that Sonu Dangar has uploaded many videos, and goes by the title 'Lady Don'.
She has also called for execution of 'anti-nationals' like Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan
The woman, also known as Usha Dangar, was arrested in March this year, with a country-made pistol in Rajkot.
The Times of India reported that 37-year-old Dangar has a number of cases lodged against her, that include kidnapping, attempt to murder, possession of illegal arms, rioting, firing, and extortion.
The ToI report adds that she began her criminal career after marrying notorious bootlegger Sanjay Rajput in 2008, and continued the crime after her divorce.
After a case in 2012, where she allegedly thrashed the construction labourers, Dangar maintained a low profile for two years. In 2014, she fired five shots at a mobile shop on Raiya Road, and drove away, according to reports.