A Lord Ganesha idol at a temple in Belur town here was allegedly desecrated with a pair of footwear placed on it, leading to outrage among locals, police said on Sunday. The incident is believed to have taken place on Saturday night.
The desecration was discovered on Sunday morning by locals who regularly visit the temple to pray. In response, police have taken a woman into custody for questioning. According to Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sujeetha, the accused woman appears to be "a bit unstable" and will undergo a detailed medical examination.
Sujeetha told the media that, according to her family, the woman has committed similar acts at home. She sells flowers and lives with her mother and two sons, one of whom is differently-abled. Her husband passed away six years after their marriage.
Earlier in the day, locals had protested, demanding action against those responsible. Police, after reviewing nearby CCTV footage, initially stated that the suspect appeared to be a woman who seemed to be mentally unwell. The footage shows the woman’s face covered with a cloth, but the shoes she was wearing when she entered the temple looked similar to the pair left on the idol.
Superintendent Mohammad Sujeetha and local officials visited the site to reassure the protesters and assess the situation. A case has been registered based on a complaint from the temple authorities. Sujeetha said that justice would be served and that eight teams had been formed to find the culprit.
Following the incident, priests performed a purification ritual for the Ganapati idol.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MLC CT Ravi, who visited the temple with Belur MLA HK Suresh, condemned the act, calling it an attempt to "instigate Hindus" and demanding a full investigation to uncover who was behind it.
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