Tension as vandals torch 3 temples in Tamil Nadu

Tension prevailed across the city from the early hours of Saturday as three roadside Hindu temples were set afire allegedly by a masked man, using damaged vehicle tyres. Police have launched a hunt for the miscreant.

Police said following protests by members of the Hindu Munnani, BJP and Bharath Sena seeking the arrest of the miscreant. They also leveled charges against members of the Dravida Kazhagam and Periyar Dravida Kazhagam.

Police was deployed in strength in front of temples and Periyar statues across the state, following the incident.

Police said the department was verifying CCTV footages installed at commercial outlets on the stretch close to Mahali Amman temple at NH Road, close to five corner, where earlier in the day, police had found a miscreant damaging the lights of the temple by breaking the bulb.

He is also alleged to have set fire to an old vehicle tyre, and thrown it into the temple premises.

Similarly, the Selva Ganapathy temple at Nallampalayam and Vinayagar temple close to Coimbatore railway junction, were set afire in the early hours of Saturday, in the same style by unidentified miscreants.

Three special teams have been deployed to probe the incidents. Police suspects members of the Periyar Dravida Kazhagam to have done this, because the incident had happened the very next day the Periyar statue was smeared with saffron paint, near Sundrapuram.

The series of untoward incidents have happened in connection with the controversial video recently released by the ‘Karuppar Kootam’, added police sources.