Day after Hanuman murals at temple in Botad vandalised amid row, three arrested

They have been booked under IPC (Indian Penal Code) sections 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
A senior police official associated with the investigation of the case said, “The FIR was registered following a complaint we got from an official of the temple.

The three were produced before a court Sunday where we had sought their remand for three days. However, the court refused our demand following which they have been sent to judicial custody.”

With Hindu religious leaders and devotees demanding the removal of the murals depicting Lord Hanuman sitting at the feet of Lord Swaminarayan at the temple, the issue has triggered controversy.

On Saturday, Harshad Gadhvi had allegedly entered the temple after crossing the barricades placed around the giant bronze statue amid the presence of police personnel.

In the videos of the incident, which went viral on social media, Gadhvi – wielding a decorative axe in one hand and carrying some ink in the other – is seen first blackening some of the murals by rubbing ink on them while shouting “Sanatan dharma ni jai, koi avta nai nakar mari nakhu (Hail Sanatan dharma. None of you dare come near me or I shall kill you).”

He is then seen striking a mural with the decorative axe twice but the axe breaks into two. Gadhvi goes on to hit two more murals with the handle of the axe before three policemen overpower him.

Another police official said on Sunday, “The three accused were together when Gadhvi vandalised the murals. Whereas, the other two were involved in shooting the video of the same.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Hanuman statue in the temple in April. The temple belongs to the Vadtal Swaminarayan faction of the Swaminarayan sect.

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