Who left meat at Hyderabad temple? CCTV footage reveals the truth: Cat, not conspiracy

Hours after a piece of meat was found near a temple in the communally sensitive Old City region of Hyderabad, the police officials shared CCTV footage depicting a cat and a dog carrying meat close to the temple.

Pls see the video and listen to Sri G. Chandra Mohan, DCP South West Zone clearly presenting the facts regarding the incident at a temple in Tappachabutra PS limits.We urge everyone to refrain from spreading misinformation and not to use social media to provoke disharmony https://t.co/bdUykLjHAD pic.twitter.com/qbLpd81TUJ
Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) February 12, 2025

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Hyderabad police released the footage and also urged residents to refrain from spreading misinformation and to assist in preserving communal harmony following the incident, which ignited protests and political responses.

Tensions escalated in the city on Wednesday after meat fragments were located near the Shiva Lingam at the Jirra Hanuman Temple in Tappachabutra. Devotees, visibly taken aback by the occurrence, quickly contacted the police, who promptly arrived to investigate.

The police officials initiated an inquiry under the oversight of senior officers, as such an event could incite communal unrest in the Old City area, which has a largely Muslim demographic. They shared the CCTV footage from the temple's north-facing camera, which “depicted a cat carrying a piece of meat in its mouth and entering the temple grounds” on February 12, around 6.37 am. Additionally, another CCTV clip released by the police showed a dog carrying an object in its mouth near the temple at approximately 1 am on February 12.

“The CCTV footage conclusively proved that the cat was responsible for placing the meat behind the Shiva Lingam. It showed a cat carrying meat into the temple around 6.30 am on February 12. The temple has grills through which the cat could enter and place the meat inside. The meat was found to be mutton,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of South West Zone, Hyderabad, G Chandra Mohan said.

The incident sparked protests in the communally sensitive Tappachabutra area, with locals and BJYM leaders alleging an attempt to desecrate the temple. The protests continued until the police assured that the case would be resolved promptly.