KOCHI: In an alleged attempt to trigger communal riots, miscreants dumped a pack of rotten fish inside the offering box of Thonnikka Mahadeva temple at Kolenchery. The incident came to light when the devotees complained of stink emanating from the offering box. Based on the inspection of temple committee members, it was found that rotten fish was dumped inside the offering box.“A complaint has been filed with the police. Though we don’t know the persons behind it, they tried to destroy the sanctity of the temple and thereby trigger a communal issue in the area,” said a member of the temple committee.
The offering box which is situated on the roadside has a wider mouth which enables the devotees to offer valuable items other than money. “Since the temple is adjacent to the hospital, a large number of people pass through the area. CCTV footage of the hospital will give a clear picture of the area,” added the member.
Though a complaint was filed by the temple committee at the Puthenkurissu police station, a case is yet to be registered. “We received a complaint from the temple committee four days ago. No case has been registered but we have started an investigation. There are no CCTVs in the area. It will be difficult to trace the culprit using the available CCTV footage from nearby areas,” said an official of the police station.