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Three individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in vandalising and defacing the murals at a temple in Gujarat’s Botad district, officials said on Sunday.
The murals depicted Lord Hanuman kneeling before Sahajanand Swami, a saint belonging to the Swaminarayan sect, the official said.
One of the suspects, identified as Harshad Gadhvi, was captured in a video that went viral.
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In the video, Gadhvi can be seen vandalising the murals at the Salangpur temple. Accompanying him were his associates, Jaisinh Bharwad and Baldev Bharwad, as confirmed by Superintendent of Police Kishor Baloliya.
A few months ago, the temple’s administration had installed an imposing 54-foot statue of Lord Hanuman within its premises. Controversy ensued when murals on the pedestal’s wall depicted Lord Hanuman in a posture of reverence before Sahajanand Swami. The Swaminarayan sect, characterised by various factions, refers to Sahajanand Swami (1781-1830) as Lord Swaminarayan.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Gadhvi managed to breach the barricades surrounding the statue, using a heavy rod to vandalise and deface the murals.
On Saturday night, all three suspects were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 295 (A) (outraging religious feelings), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different religious groups), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), according to officials from the Barwala police station.
This incident unfolded shortly after Hindu religious leaders raised concerns about the controversial murals. The security around the temple has been tightened, and stricter measures have been put in place.
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