Coimbatore : Tension prevailed in parts of the city, following reports of tyres being burnt in front of three famous temples, damaging
properties, even as more than 100 workers of BJP and other pro-Hindu outfits marched in the affected areas seeking immediate arrest of the
miscreants.

According to police, old tyres and clothes were found burnt in front the Makaliamman temple at Five Corner on NH Road, causing damage to a board, bulb, trident and sari decorated on the presiding deity.

CCTV footage revealed that a man on two-wheeler collecting the old tyre lying in front of a puncture shop and setting afire and hurling
in front of the temple.

Reacting to the incidenbt, BJP Vice President, Vanathi Srinivasan urged chief minister to take action against the miscreants and also city police to bring to book the culprits, as the trident was bent and sari decorated on the deity were damaged in the fire. Even the entire ceiling was blackened due to the thick smoke, she said.

In two other incident, tyres and old clothes were burnt in front of Vinayagar temple near Railway Station and Selva Vinayagar Temple in Nallampalayam, they said.

BJP sources said that a kerosene-laced clothe piece was burnt in front of a temple near Sangameshar temple near Town Hall. However, police have to confirm the incident yet.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (L and O) G Stalin said that investigations are on to bring the miscreants who tried to vandalise Maakaliamman temple and Vinayagar temple, to book.

Even as the people of Coimbatore are living in tension following two incidents –one with regard to Karuppar Kootam’s derogatory remarks on Kanda Shashti Kavazham and desecrating the life size statue of ‘Periyar’ by hurling
saffron paint, in which a Bharat Sena functionary had surrendered, amid the lock down.