PONDA: Tension erupted at the Betki-Khandola Mallikarjun temple on Tuesday morning after one local removed the idol of Lord Mallikarjun and injured three with a sword during a scuffle with devotees that ensued over Dussehra rituals.
In this case, the Ponda police have arrested two persons and registered an offence.
The accused have been identified as Gurudas Gaude, a government servant, and his brother Gokuldas Gaude, who are alleged to have damaged the idol and decorations at the temple and also attacked three people with a sword in a fit of anger.
According to the temple committee members, every year on the day of Dussehra, tarang rituals are held at the temple. This year too, the rituals started as usual at 7 am. But after some time, Gurudas entered the temple claiming to be the ritual performer and tried to grab the tarang decorated by locals. As the locals refused to hand over the tarang, he damaged the decoration. Later, the locals moved him out and started decorating the tarang again. But after a while, Gurudas started shouting from outside the temple and tried to enter inside. In order to control him, locals went outside. However, dodging them, Gurudas entered the temple again and locked it from inside. Claiming to have all rights over the deity, he removed the idol thus irking the locals, who tried to stop him at the temple entrance. But his brother Gokuldas gave him a sword to make way through the locals. A scuffle ensued and three persons – Surya Jalmi, Pradeep Haldankar and Riddesh Sungtankar – were injured in the sword attack. The locals later nabbed Gurudas and handed him over to the police, said Siddhesh Sungtankar, president of the temple committee.
Around 400 locals had gathered in the vicinity of the temple. Ponda police have registered an offence against Gurudas Gaude and Gokuldas Gaude for damaging the place of worship and assault following a complaint lodged by Sungtankar.
Last year, during the Dussehra rituals, Gokuldas had tried to disturb the activity, but timely intervention by police personnel had prevented any untoward incident, said villagers. This year too, villagers had intimated police and since Monday night, patrolling was on. Police personnel were present during the scuffle but they were helpless, said villagers.