Attack on places of worship again in TN

Erode, Oct 7: For the second day, places of worship and statues were damaged at two places in this district of Tamil Nadu.

Police said at least three miscreants, who came in two wheelers, pelted stones, smashing the glass panes of a Prayer Hall at Goundambadi and fled.

Mr Shanmugam, the night watchman in the area said the miscreants who came around midnight, threw stones and fled.

A few minutes later, an unidentified gang damaged a box, kept in front of the Church of South India (CSI) at Perunthalaiyur, police said.

Tension prevailed in the areas as hundreds of people gathered in front of the places of worship and condemned the attacks.

Local people said lack of police protection has led to the attacks. The police had promised additional police bandobust and night patrolling near places of worship, but no adequate protection was given, they alleged.

District Superintendent of Police Avinash Kumar, who visited the places, was camping in the area. Three special teams had been formed to nab the culprits, police added.

Three statues, two in Krishnagiri and one at Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district were found damaged early on Sunday.

Police said two statues at Melakondapalli of Tenkanikottai taluk in Krishnagiri were removed from the pedestal. One of the statues was found damaged on Hosur-Dhali Road where a school was located. The other statue was missing.

At Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district, a small statue on the wall of a house was found damaged.

UNI