Upset and "angry with God" over rising temperature and lack of rain, a man defiled three idols of Lord Hanuman in southwest Delhi's Kakrola village which landed him in jail on Tuesday.
The accused, Mahesh (50) of Bharat Vihar JJ colony, is a cobbler, police said.
The matter was reported by a priest on Tuesday morning who first spotted the damaged Hanuman idols at three adjacent spots in Kakrola, a senior police officer said.
"We received a call at 7.45 am regarding defiling of statue at three spots in Kakrola area," the officer added.
According to the police, the accused told them during interrogation that he was upset and angry with God as there has been no rain this year and that it is getting hotter with every passing day.
Following the incident, a group of people, including residents, local leaders, and those associated with the Bajrang Dal, gathered at Dwarka Mor and stopped traffic movement.
Efforts to calm them down were successful, and traffic movement was regulated, the police said.
"We have registered a case under section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code. The accused, Mahesh, has also been arrested in connection with the incident," said Santosh Kumar Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka).
An axe used in the offence has been recovered, the police added.
(Published 13 April 2021, 15:41 IST)
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