Timely action of the police and the cooperation of community elders prevented an incident of alleged mischief from taking a communal colour at Falaknuma on Saturday morning.
Police said that a man who was ‘mentally challenged’ uprooted and threw away a flag post which holds significance to a particular community and slightly damaged a portion of the place of worship belonging to another community in its vicinity during the early hours of Saturday.
The locals who noticed it in the morning immediately alerted the police.
Showing presence of mind, the local police officials held talks with the elders from both the communities and persuaded them to help prevent outbreak of any trouble. The community elders agreed to take up the repairs even as police formed special teams to apprehend the culprit.
One arrested
Based on information provided by a few local people, the police picked up a man who hailed from Uppuguda in old city.
The man is suffering from a mental disorder, Falaknuma ACP Mohd. Taher Ali said.
While the flag post was immediately replaced, repairs were also carried out to the place of worship in a couple of hours by the respective community members, the official added.
A case was registered against the man. As a precautionary measure a police picket too was posted at the spot.