<p>Belur: Tension prevailed after miscreants allegedly placed footwear on the idol of Lord Ganesha at Vidya Ganapathi Temple in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/belur">Belur</a> town of Hassan district on Sunday.</p><p>Following the incident, security was beefed up in the town. The Vidya Ganapathi temple is on the premises of the Town Municipal Council office. It is a practice for the vendors here to offer prayers at the temple in the morning before beginning their business.</p><p>On Sunday, when they went to the temple, they were shocked to find the idol desecrated with the footwear.</p><p>Police, who rushed to the spot, have taken a woman, identified as Leelamma of Vijayanagar Layout in Hassan, into custody after initiating a probe based on CCTV footage.</p><p>“It is suspected that the woman is mentally unsound. A detailed probe is on,” said Superintendent of Police Mohammed Sujitha.</p>.MLC demands bulldozer action over footwear insult to Ganesha idol.<p>The SP said, “Leelamma left Hassan at 8.30 pm on Saturday and boarded a bus to Belur. Later, she went to Chikkamagaluru and then to Belur. She went to the Town Municipal Office premises, where the temple is located. Her movements have been recorded in the CCTV camera. Later, she returned to Hassan. The woman was taken into custody from her house in Hassan. There is a need for her medical examination. The family members have informed that she had behaved in a similar manner in house also”.</p><p>The footage shows a woman covering her face with a cloth entering the temple, with footwear on. There was no footwear when she came out.</p><p>The slippers on the idol and the one she was wearing looked similar. Hence, the police suspect that she might have done this. The inquiry is being conducted in Hassan and eight teams have been constituted for the purpose, the SP added.</p><p><strong>Protest</strong></p><p>Locals staged a flash protest on the premises of the office of Town Municipal Council, demanding stern action against the miscreants trying to disturb peace and harmony in the town. They have also threatened to stage ‘Belur Bandh’ on Monday.</p><p><strong>‘Sentiments of Hindus hurt’</strong></p><p>BJP leader and MLC C T Ravi visited Belur town and alleged that the sentiments of Hindus were being repeatedly hurt by such incidents.</p><p>“Stones are thrown at Ganesha idol procession and cows udders are severed. Now, they have placed footwear on Ganapathi idol. This is to create communal tension,” he alleged.</p><p>MLA H K Suresh demanded that the accused be immediately arrested and given stern punishment.</p>
<p>Belur: Tension prevailed after miscreants allegedly placed footwear on the idol of Lord Ganesha at Vidya Ganapathi Temple in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/belur">Belur</a> town of Hassan district on Sunday.</p><p>Following the incident, security was beefed up in the town. The Vidya Ganapathi temple is on the premises of the Town Municipal Council office. It is a practice for the vendors here to offer prayers at the temple in the morning before beginning their business.</p><p>On Sunday, when they went to the temple, they were shocked to find the idol desecrated with the footwear.</p><p>Police, who rushed to the spot, have taken a woman, identified as Leelamma of Vijayanagar Layout in Hassan, into custody after initiating a probe based on CCTV footage.</p><p>“It is suspected that the woman is mentally unsound. A detailed probe is on,” said Superintendent of Police Mohammed Sujitha.</p>.MLC demands bulldozer action over footwear insult to Ganesha idol.<p>The SP said, “Leelamma left Hassan at 8.30 pm on Saturday and boarded a bus to Belur. Later, she went to Chikkamagaluru and then to Belur. She went to the Town Municipal Office premises, where the temple is located. Her movements have been recorded in the CCTV camera. Later, she returned to Hassan. The woman was taken into custody from her house in Hassan. There is a need for her medical examination. The family members have informed that she had behaved in a similar manner in house also”.</p><p>The footage shows a woman covering her face with a cloth entering the temple, with footwear on. There was no footwear when she came out.</p><p>The slippers on the idol and the one she was wearing looked similar. Hence, the police suspect that she might have done this. The inquiry is being conducted in Hassan and eight teams have been constituted for the purpose, the SP added.</p><p><strong>Protest</strong></p><p>Locals staged a flash protest on the premises of the office of Town Municipal Council, demanding stern action against the miscreants trying to disturb peace and harmony in the town. They have also threatened to stage ‘Belur Bandh’ on Monday.</p><p><strong>‘Sentiments of Hindus hurt’</strong></p><p>BJP leader and MLC C T Ravi visited Belur town and alleged that the sentiments of Hindus were being repeatedly hurt by such incidents.</p><p>“Stones are thrown at Ganesha idol procession and cows udders are severed. Now, they have placed footwear on Ganapathi idol. This is to create communal tension,” he alleged.</p><p>MLA H K Suresh demanded that the accused be immediately arrested and given stern punishment.</p>