Outrage swept the Bettiah sub-division area of West Champaran, Bihar, after unidentified vandals desecrated idols in the region’s much-revered Hindu temple. According to reports, anger erupted among people after they found the idols housed inside the Ram Janaki temple located in Baswaria Dhuniyapatti vandalised and destroyed after it was opened in the morning.
बेतिया : रामजानकी मंदिर में खंडित की गई भगवान की मूर्तियाँ,
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लोगों का भड़का आक्रोश, हंगामा और आगज़नी
असामाजिक तत्वों पर तत्काल कार्रवाई की माँग pic.twitter.com/7HEcyVI7ip
Shortly after it was discovered that the temple was vandalised and the Hindu idols defiled, an angry mob of people took to the streets and created ruckus over the incident. They blocked the Bettiah-Nautan road near Peepal Chowk by burning tires and demanded the police to arrest the anti-social elements responsible for the vandalism of the temple.
A written complaint was filed by the priest of the temple, based on which a case was registered in the city police station against unidentified anti-social elements. The police have launched an investigation into the case.
Local people believe it is a deliberate conspiracy by the trouble makers to keep the communal tempers high in the region. They have also accused the police of inaction, alleging that scores of gamblers and alcohol addicts keep gathering around the temple but despite filing a complaint, no action has been taken against them.
SDPO Mukul Parimal Pandey said the police team is conducting raids to arrest those who damaged the idol. According to the police, the incident came to light when the priest of the temple opened the temple in the morning for cleaning it. At that time, the idols were not damaged. However, after cleaning the temple compound, the priest went to take bath. When he returned, he saw the idols lay shattered on the floor. The priest claims the incident may have taken place at 5:30 in the morning.
On being informed about the incident, the police quickly rushed to the spot and tried to defuse the rising tensions. The locals in the area were angry that a Hindu temple was attacked and its idols were destroyed by miscreants. They created a ruckus and blocked the road. The blockade continued for more than 3 hours and the people relented only after the senior police officers assured the crowd that the culprits will be caught in the next 24 hours.
