Man held for pelting stone on Ashwathama temple in Karnataka's Belagavi

Belagavi: A man has been apprehended by police for allegedly pelting stone on the Ashwathama temple at Pangul Galli in Belagavi, during the intervening night of Monday.

The man has been held for a second time in less than a month's time for pelting stones on the temple. Situation in the communally sensitive area was tense but calm with elaborate police security arrangements being made.

The accused has been identified as Yasir Narsadi, a resident of Ujwal Nagar.

Yasir was first arrested during the Ramzan festival after he had pelted stones on the Ashwathama temple and was caught by local residents. He had then said that he had resorted to the act in retaliation to dresses a few Hindus had been wearing during the Holi festival.

Police had stated that the accused was mentally unstable. Yasir was again caught by locals while pelting stones on the same temple in the communally sensitive area and was handed over to police.

Elaborate police deployments have been made in the area to prevent any untoward incidents.

Senior police officials visited the spot and an investigation is ongoing.