For hurting religious sentiments

Hyderabad, Jan 20: Police on Thursday arrested director Sairam Dasari on charge of hurting religious sentiments through his short film 'Devuda'.

Sairam and producer Harikumar Reddy were booked for objectionable scenes involving Shivalinga in the movie by Malkajgiri police station under the Rachakonda police commissionerate.

Police said they were on the lookout for Harikumar, who is absconding.

The police action came a few days after members of the Brahmin community met Telangana Director General of Police Anurag Sharma to complain against the filmmakers for allegedly mocking Lord Shiva.

Bajrang Dal and some other organisations also lodged a police complaint against the producer and director.

They alleged that the film's teaser uploaded on YouTube contains offensive acts by some of the characters.

The community had sought a ban on the movie for hurting their religious sentiments.

Sairam apologised but said he just portrayed the practices prevailing at the Kabri Manjunath temple in Karnataka.