20 arrested in Jaipur after mob tries setting petrol pump on fire to protest temple vandalism

At least 20 persons were arrested in Rajasthan’s Jaipur after members of the Hindutva groups Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, along with a group of city residents, protested the alleged vandalism of an idol of folk deity Veer Teja on Saturday, reported The Indian Express.

Amid the protest in the city’s Sanganer area, a mob attempted to set fire to a petrol pump but were removed from the area by the police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Tejasvini Gautam was quoted as saying by the newspaper that the idol was vandalised at a temple in Pratap Nagar around 3 am. As news of the incident spread, a crowd gathered near the temple to demand the immediate arrest of those responsible.

The crowd blocked the nearby Jaipur-Tonk road, which is a national highway, for around three hours and burnt tyres. “A catastrophe was averted by a quick action of the police,” Gautam said.

The police had to use “mild force” to disperse the crowd and additional forces have been deployed to maintain law and order, India Today reported.

The police official also said that one person, identified as 34-year-old Siddharth Singh, had been detained in connection with the alleged vandalism.

“He said that he was mentally disturbed because his work was not going well, so when he saw the temple...

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