Man arrested for vandalising Hanuman temple in UP's Muzaffarnagar; Hindu group holds protests, demands strict punishment for accused

Muzaffarnagar: One person was arrested for allegedly vandalising a Hanuman temple in Muzaffarnagar’s Khatoli area on Friday, police said. The accused identified as Musa hails from Bulandshahr city in Uttar Pradesh. [caption id=“attachment_6945191” align=“alignleft” width=“385”] Hanuman temple in UP’s Muzaffarnagar. ANI[/caption] “The incident happened on the morning of 4 July. A man pelted stones at the statue of Lord Hanuman. He, however, missed the aim and broke the glass instead. The accused also punched those present in the temple and made several objectionable comments against them,” Circle Officer (CO) Ashish Pratap said. Police said that the man was nabbed by the temple priest and handed over to the police. “He tried to hurt religious sentiments and destroy the idol. He has been arrested and sent to jail on serious charges. Such actions will not be tolerated. An investigation is underway,” the circle officer said. The accused has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Soon after the incident, several people from a Hindu organisation protested outside the police station, demanding strict punishment for the accused. The Muzaffarnagar incident comes close on the heels of similar reports from Old Delhi, where a brawl over parking space led to miscreants attacking a Durga temple in Hauz Qazi area, which further fuelled clashes between two groups.