Hyderabad’s Karachi Bakery vandalised as protesters demand a name change

Police say they have booked the protesters, members of the opposition BJP in the state.

Written by Nikhila Henry

Hyderabad | Updated: May 12, 2025 10:50 AM IST

2 min read

It was the branch of Karachi Bakery at Shamshabad which faced the protests. (Photo: Screengrab from X/@SalmanNizami_)

Against the backdrop of tensions between India and Pakistan, BJP members allegedly vandalised one of the branches of Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad, demanding that the owners change its name, Telangana police said. According to the police, the incident took place during a protest at 3 pm on Saturday.

It was the branch of Karachi Bakery at Shamshabad which faced the protests.

“No employees at the bakery were harmed. No serious damage was done,” K Balaraju, inspector, RGI Airport Police Station, told The Indian Express. “We were on the spot within a few minutes of the incident and could disperse the members of the political outfit.”

This is not the first time that Karachi Bakery has seen protests. At the height of the conflict last week, protesters were seen planting tricolour flags at the Banjara Hills Branch of the bakery.

While Karachi Bakery gets its name from Karachi in Pakistan, it is run by an Indian family, descendants of those who migrated to Hyderabad during the Partition. The bakery was founded in 1953 at Mozamjahi Market in Hyderabad.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, a manager of the bakery said, “We are an Indian establishment. We cannot be branded Pakistani.”

Karachi Bakery has branches in several cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. In Hyderabad alone, the bakery has 24 branches. The most famous of its bakes are the fruit and Osmania biscuits.

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Earlier, the bakery owners, Rajesh and Harish Ramnani, had issued a statement requesting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to offer them protection. In 2019, during the Pulwama attack too, the bakery was vandalised, police say.

Following Saturday’s attack, RGI Airport Police booked the protesters under sections 126 (2) and 324 (4) of BNS – wrongful restraint and causing damage to property. “The board of the bakery was damaged by the protesters,” Balaraju said. No arrests have been made.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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