Temple structure row triggers protest in Kodagu

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Tension gripped Maldare near Siddapura after a tomb-like structure was found inside the Gaddigebetta Sri Siddeshwara Temple premises, prompting hundreds of villagers and activists to stage a protest demanding swift arrests.
Temple staff discovered the flower-decorated structure on Sunday morning after entering the hilltop premises. The management alerted Siddapura police and lodged a complaint alleging that unidentified people had entered the restricted area and created the structure to offend religious sentiments and disturb communal harmony.

Investigators were examining CCTV footage submitted by the temple authorities. The recordings were said to show several people arriving in two vehicles before placing the structure within the premises. Police had not publicly identified the individuals or confirmed their motive at the time of the protest.

Hundreds of residents gathered outside the temple on Monday as anger grew over the absence of arrests. BJP leaders and members of Hindutva organisations joined the demonstration, which expanded into a road blockade and disrupted movement through Maldare.

Protesters raised slogans against the police and accused officials of responding slowly despite receiving video evidence. They demanded the immediate identification and detention of everyone involved in entering the temple premises.

The crowd later proceeded towards the hilltop shrine. Some protesters dismantled the structure and found that it contained no human remains. Flowers placed around it were removed and thrown away.

Temple representatives and protesters also alleged that the intruders had consumed non-vegetarian food within the premises. Police were investigating the claim, and no independent confirmation had emerged. Officials faced pressure to determine whether food remnants or other material recovered from the site could provide forensic evidence.

The location falls within an area under Forest Department jurisdiction, complicating questions about access and security. Forest officers who arrived at the site were confronted by protesters demanding an explanation of how vehicles and unauthorised visitors had reached the temple.

Range Forest Officer Naveen Kumar and police personnel assured the gathering that a case would be registered and those responsible would be traced. More than 100 police personnel were deployed to prevent the agitation from escalating and to maintain order around the temple and adjoining roads.

BJP leaders Robin Devaiah and Ravi Kushalappa were among those who participated. Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other Hindu organisations were also present, while speakers warned that the campaign would be intensified if arrests were delayed.

The demonstration placed the district administration under pressure to manage both the criminal investigation and the risk of communal polarisation. Officials were expected to examine vehicle registration details, mobile-phone records and camera footage from routes leading to the shrine.

Police were also likely to question how the group entered the forest-linked premises and whether the visit had been planned in advance. Establishing the timing of the entry, the number of participants and the origin of the materials used to create the structure would be central to the inquiry.

The temple, situated in the forested Gaddigebetta area, attracts devotees but is not easily accessible like an urban shrine. The remote terrain and limited surveillance along approach roads may pose challenges for investigators seeking a complete reconstruction of events.

Authorities face the additional task of separating verified evidence from claims circulating among protesters and on social media. Describing the structure as a tomb does not by itself establish who created it, whether it had a religious purpose or whether the intention was to provoke local communities.

The discovery nevertheless triggered strong anger because it occurred inside a place of worship. Temple committees and religious groups commonly regard unauthorised entry and the placement of unfamiliar objects within sacred premises as acts of desecration, particularly when symbols associated with another faith are suspected.

No injuries were reported during the protest, although the blockade and large gathering created a tense atmosphere. The deployment of additional personnel helped prevent confrontations as officers sought time to examine the evidence.

District officials were expected to maintain security around the temple while the inquiry continued. Police patrols were also likely to be strengthened in Maldare and Siddapura to deter retaliatory acts, inflammatory speeches or attempts to spread unverified communal claims.