Mangaluru : Forest department officials prevented members of Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) and Durgavahini from carrying out “purification” of the bust of Deyi Baideti (mother of Koti-Chennaiah, the twin cultural folk heroes of Tulu Nadu) by closing the entrance gate of the garden.

The protesters had decided to purify the bust as a man from another community allegedly “insulted” the bust by touching the chest of the bust. The members staged a protest outside the gate.

Bajrang Dal Dakshin Prantha Gorakshak Pramukh Muralikrishna Hasanthadka condemned the move of the forest department for not allowing them to “purify” the bust and called for a protest in all the Garadi (where Koti, Chennaiah are worshipped) jurisdiction across Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday.

The members of VHP and Durgavahini had decided to “purify” the bust using indigenous cow milk and tender coconut water. Accordingly, a large number of people had gathered in front of the medicinal garden. However, the forest department officials prohibited their entry to the garden by closing the gate. When they refused to open the gate, the protesters offered ablution near the gate itself.

The protesters also said that the accused had clicked his photo sitting next to the bust of Deyi Baideti in an obscene manner and had posted it on social media. The incident had hurt the sentiments of Hindu community members.

However, earlier in the day, Hindu organisation leader Arun Kumar Puthila, Taluk Panchayat member Radhakrishna Borkar, Badagannur GP president Keshava Gowda Kannaya and others had offered milk and tender coconut to the bust.

On the other hand, Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Bajrang Dal and devotees offered a mass prayer to punish the accused who was involved in desecrating the bust of Deyi Baideti at Garadi Brahma Baidarkala Kshetra in Mangaluru on Tuesday.