An incident of vandalism has been reported at a Shiva mandir located near the Lal Kothi vegetable market in Jaipur. The murtis within the temple were found desecrated, sparking outrage among local residents who quickly gathered at the site and demanded action from the police. Gokul Saini has lodged a complaint regarding the incident at Bajaj Nagar police station, following which police personnel reached the location and inspected the scene.
Gopal Saini, the temple caretaker, stated, “Someone broke into the temple during the night and vandalised the idols. We informed the police early in the morning, and they are now investigating the matter. We hope the culprits will be caught soon. In the meantime, we are bringing new idols and will conduct the pran pratishtha (ritual consecration) shortly.”
Police Investigation Underway
ACP Aditya Poonia confirmed, “As soon as we received the information, a team was dispatched to the site. This is a commercial area, and we have access to CCTV footage. We’ve found crucial clues and are tracing the suspects.” He further stated that the temple authorities have decided to reinstall the idols, and the administration will provide full support for the ritual.
The incident took place late Friday (April 11) night, creating tension and anger across the Lal Kothi area in the state capital. The temple is located near Sahkar Marg, adjacent to the vegetable market. On Saturday (April 12) morning, devotees discovered the desecrated idols and immediately alerted the police.
According to officials, an unidentified individual entered the temple late at night and damaged 3–4 idols from the Shiva family, including the Nandi idol, which remains at the site but was also found damaged.
Shops Shut Down in Protest, Public Demands Justice
As news of the incident spread, local shopkeepers and devotees began to protest. Many shops were voluntarily shut down as a mark of anger and solidarity. People gathered inside the temple premises, strongly condemning the act and demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits.
ACP Poonia added that CCTV footage from the temple premises and surrounding areas is being thoroughly examined to identify the suspect. The police have increased security around the temple and appealed to the public to maintain peace and calm.
Second Major Incident in a Month
This marks the second major temple vandalism case in Jaipur within a month. Earlier, a similar incident occurred at the Tejaji temple in the Sanganer area.
The repeated attacks on places of worship have deeply hurt public sentiment and raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the administration. Locals have warned that such attacks on religious sites will not be tolerated and have demanded strict and immediate action from the authorities.
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