Ooty: Tension prevailed in Gudalur, about 80 kilometres from Ooty, after the statue of Mary was found smeared with slush today.

The face of the statue, at St Mary’s Church, was totally tarnished with slush, and its limbs and ‘attire part’ blackened by some miscreants, leading to tense moments in the heart of the Gudalur town, police said.

Some flower pots were also found damaged inside the church premises, they said.

Forensic and fingerprint experts have been requisitioned, and further investigations are on.