Kovai tense after meat found near temples

Coimbatore

The miscreant left the meat in a plastic carry bag in front of Venugopala Krishnaswamy Temple and Sri Ragavendra Temple located in the crowded Town Hall locality around 10 30 am.

A flower vendor, Baby, noticed a man in a two-wheeler leaving a carry bag in front of the locked doors of Sri Ragavendra Temple and before another temple located nearby.

As a rotten smell came from the carry bag, the flower vendor checked it and was shocked to find meat in it. She immediately shouted back at the man, but the miscreant fled away from the spot.

A police team led by Deputy Commissioner (Law & Order) Balaji Saravanan seized the meat and to prevent untoward incidents posted nearly 100 cops in front of the temples. Meanwhile, members of various Hindu outfits gathered in front of the temples demanding the police to nab the accused at the earliest. They alleged that such incidents would disturb peace and trigger communal tension.

Based on a complaint from temple authorities, the police registered cases under IPC sections 295 A for a deliberate act to outrage religious feelings, 153 A for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and 298 for wounding the religious feelings of any person.

The police have been tracking the accused with images captured in the CCTVs fixed in commercial establishments in the locality. Also, five special teams of police have been formed to nab the culprit.