HASSAN: The Belur police have arrested a woman accused of insulting the Ganesha deity at a temple in Belur town on Sunday morning.
The woman, identified as Neelamma from Guddenahalli village near Hassan, is believed to be mentally challenged, according to police. She was apprehended on the outskirts of Belur on Sunday.
The police examined the footage from a nearby CCTV camera, which showed the woman, her face covered with a cloth and carrying a bag, entering the Ganesha temple in Belur. She returned within a minute. The police suspect that she may have placed slippers on the deity. The incident quickly gained attention, sparking outrage in Belur and surrounding areas.
Hundreds of people, led by various Hindu organisations, gathered outside the temple demanding an investigation and action against the accused.
Meanwhile, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra condemned the incident in a post on X, stating that attacks and desecrations of Hindu deities have been on the rise since the Congress government came to power in the state.
He alleged that only Hindu temples have been targeted under the current regime. Vijayendra urged the police to take strict action against the accused and warned that the government would be held responsible for any future incidents if they fail to prevent such acts.
Taking the matter seriously, Belur BJP MLA H K Suresh held a meeting with SP Mohamed Sujeeta. Suresh threatened to call for a Belur Bandh on Monday if the police failed to make swift arrests. He appealed to the public to support the bandh by closing commercial establishments.