Karnataka: Four held in temple defiling case for wearing slippers at Karinjeshwara shrine

Four youths were apprehended by the Punjalakatte police in Mangalore on Thursday for allegedly entering the Karinjeshwara shrine wearing shoes and footwear. A complaint was filed by one Vinayak Kumar alleging that the group defiled the Karinjeshwara temple near Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district by wearing footwear and posting videos from their visit on social media.

The temple administration also filed a police complaint after a video clip of their visit went viral on social media. A complaint was registered alleging that it was a deliberate act to hurt the sentiments of Hindus. Based on the complaint, Punjalkatte police registered a case under Section 295 (defiling place of worship) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to PTI, the group had reached the temple in a car registered in Kerala. Their travel video was uploaded on Instagram on October 7 with the visuals of some of them entering the temple wearing footwear. Hindu organizations had raised a protest and demanded strict action against the youth.

The arrested accused have been identified as Busher Rehman (20), Ismail Arhamaj (22), Muhammed Tanish (19), and Mohammed Rashad (19). They were produced before the magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.

(With inputs from agency)