Objectionable materials in Mangaluru temple offering box: two held

Two people have been arrested on charges of dropping objectionable items into the offering box at a temple here, police sources said on Thursday.

The sources said the two had earlier confessed their guilt to the Koragajja Katte (temple for spirit worship) priest and had surrendered before shrine authorities who later handed them over to the police.

City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the temple authorities had summoned them during the ‘Nemotsava’ festival (performance of ‘Bhoota Kola’-spirit worship) where the two allegedly admitted their guilt.

The commissioner said another accused, who was a friend of the duo, had died of serious health issues recently.

Later, one of them also faced health issues and fearing the wrath of the ‘Daiva,’ as the temple deity Koragajja is called in Tulunadu region, both decided to surrender.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused had resorted to similar acts in at least three places and the probe will continue, the commissioner added.