TIRUCHY: A 28-year-old man was arrested on Sunday on charges of defiling a place of worship and outraging religious feelings after he posted on Facebook photos showing himself touching, hugging and kissing sculptures at the Brihadeeshwara Temple in Thanjavur, also known as the Big Temple.
The arrest of K Mujibur Rahman, a Tirunelveli native working with a food delivery app in Tiruchy, came after M Rathinavel, of Kottapattu, lodged a complaint with the Cantonment police on Saturday.
Several activists of Hindu outfits had circulated screenshots of Rahman’s Facebook post and demanded action.
The youth had captioned some of the photos “wear a shawl, friend”.
The police said Rahman stayed at his relative’s house in Sengulam Colony. “On June 5 he was on leave and went to Thanjavur on his bike with his friends. While visiting the temple there, he took these pictures and posted them on Facebook,” said a police officer.
Rahman was booked under Indian Penal Code Section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), The man will be produced before a magistrate.