Key Points

According to police sources, idols of Lord Ganesh, his vehicle Mushak, the chariot of Lord Ganesh, and Rahu and Ketu were found damaged at the Plague Mariamman Temple and the nearby Sakthi Vinayagar Temple on Wednesday morning.

The temples, which are a few decades old, are located adjacent to each other on government land and are not equipped with CCTV surveillance. Motorists passing by the area noticed the desecration and promptly alerted the Sulur police, who reached the spot and initiated an investigation.

A special team has been formed to identify and apprehend the culprits. Preliminary inquiry suggests the idols were attacked with stones during the night. The incident has triggered sharp reactions from local residents and religious groups.

A group of right-wing activists gathered at the temple sites on Wednesday morning, demanding swift and stringent action against those responsible. They warned of potential unrest if the miscreants are not identified and punished immediately.

Given Coimbatore’s sensitive communal history, the desecration has raised concerns among law enforcement agencies. Senior officers have been deployed to monitor the situation and maintain law and order.

It may be recalled that Coimbatore has witnessed communal violence in the past.

On February 14, 1998, a series of coordinated bomb blasts rocked the city, killing 58 people and injuring over 200. The attacks occurred at 11 locations, targeting busy areas across the city.

More recently, on October 23, 2022, a car bomb blast took place near the Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Temple, resulting in the death of 27-year-old Jameesha Mubin, who was later identified as a suicide bomber.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the probe, revealed that Mubin had planned to detonate the bomb in a crowded market area during Deepavali festivities.

However, the explosive went off prematurely near the temple. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of 17 individuals linked to radical Islamist ideology. NIA reports confirmed that Mubin had pledged allegiance to ISIS’s then-leader, Abu Al-Hasan Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi, and had conspired to attack non-believers.

The plot was allegedly devised during secret meetings held at the Viyyur High-Security Prison and Sathyamangalam Reserve Forest.

The objective, according to investigators, was to avenge the imprisonment of Mohammed Azharuddin, a radical preacher arrested in 2019 for promoting violent jihadist ideology in Coimbatore.

With the idol desecration coming in the backdrop of these past incidents, both state and central intelligence agencies have now launched a coordinated investigation to prevent any communal flare-up. Additional security has been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.

- IANS