: More than 1,000 people laid a near seige to the District Collectorate here, protesting against the attack on a priest of a local Jain temple and demanded immediate arrest of those responsible.
Officials said protestors gathered at the Collectorate at around 11.00 AM and sought a meeting with the collector. Since he was not in station, they met District Revenue Officer Gunasekaran and submitted a petition, seeking immediate arrest of those who attacked the priest last night and damaged some material in the temple.
The petitioners said devotees were often harassed by patrons of two liquor shops about 200 meters from the temple and urged that these be shifted from the area.
The DRO assured them he would do whatever was necessary and that some persons had already been questioned. He expressed confidence the real culprits would soon be arrested.
Last night, a three member gang attacked the priest and damaged some materials kept in the temple.One of them had come in a car and the other two on two-wheelers, police had said.
One of them, allegedly in an inebriated state, tried to proceed into the temple premises and when the priest questioned him, he attacked him with a bottle injuring his left ear. The gang then damaged some materials.
However, they could not enter the sanctum sanctorum as it was locked. Locals who heard the noise rushed to the spot but the three escaped on the motorcycles.
