The city police on Saturday resorted to lathi charge to disperse activists of VHP, Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations who were protesting against the desecration of a temple idol here.

Salman Salim Thakur alias Salman, an engineering graduate from Maharashtra on October 14, allegedly entered into the sanctum-sanctorum of Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad in early hours and desecrated the main idol of the temple, triggering protests by local people, Hindu organisations and BJP.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday called for a statewide protest against the Telangana government's "attitude" towards temples, according to its spokesperson Ravinuthala Shashidhar.

The activists held protests and gathered in front of the temple holding saffron flags. They raised slogans like "Jai Shriram" and "we want justice".

Video footage shows protesters throwing water packets at the police and several people sustaining minor injuries after a lathi charge.

Shashidhar condemned the lathi charge by the police.

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