Coimbatore : Even as the tension prevailed in the aftermath of desecrating the ‘Periyar” statue on Friday dying down, burning of tyres in front of a famous temple in the city, added fuel to the tension in the early hours of Saturday.

Based on the complaint by the locals about the burning of tyres, police through the CCTV footage noticed a man setting a tyre ablaze in front of the famous Makaliamman Temple at Five Corner on NH Road in the early hours.

The man was found taking an old tyre lying in front of a garage and setting it on fire near temple and damaging properties including a board and bulb.

A trident in front of the temple and ceiling has become black due to the thick smoke emanated from the tyres.

Hearing the news, workers from BJP, Hindu Munnani, VHP and other pro-Hindu outfits rushed to the area and demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants.

Large number of police personnel were deployed in the front of the temple.

Meanwhile, BJP Tamil Nadu Vice-president, Vanati Srinivasan urged the City police commissioner to take action against the miscreants.

She in her tweet claimed that the sari decoarted on the the presiding deity
was partially burnt and trident damaged.

Further investigations on, police said.