Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 4 (IANS): In a shocking incident that has come to light, an idol of Shani Dev installed in an ancient Shiva temple in the Vaira Firozpur village of Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh was desecrated by unknown vandals on Sunday, leading to tension in the area.

According to sources, the idol of Shani Dev was worshipped in the old temple near the primary school in Vaira Firozpur village till Saturday night.

On Sunday morning, one Ramesh, who cleans the temple, found that the statue of Shani Dev placed there under a Peepal tree had been vandalized.

As the news of the idol desecration and vandalism spread across the village, the villagers assembled near the temple premises and started protesting.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate Subhash Singh, Circle Officer Manish Yadav and Station House Officer Narendra Kumar Sharma rushed to the village to take stock of the situation.

The officials tried to pacify the villagers by promising to install a new statue and take strict action against the miscreants.

The officials said that some locals had been drinking in the temple complex, and it is suspected that these intoxicated men may have desecrated and damaged the Shani Dev idol.

Later, the desecrated idol was immersed into the river Ganga at Brajghat in the presence of officials, and a new idol will be installed on Saturday.