Bengaluru: Lingayat seer's statue defaced, accused claims vision of 'Jesus' inspired him

The accused, 37-year-old Srikrishna, claimed he was “inspired” to vandalise the statue after a vision of Jesus Christ appeared in his dream. Srikrishna is a native of Andhra Pradesh and works as a delivery executive.

Police have taken Srikrishna into custody and are investigating the case, which includes a medical evaluation of the accused's mental health. The police are examining whether Srikrishna's mental health played a role in the crime.

The incident occurred around 1.30 am in Bengaluru's Veerabhadra Nagar, when Srikrishna allegedly defaced the statue partially and then fled the scene. In the morning, when local residents discovered the desecration, they demanded immediate action against the perpetrator.

The police acted swiftly and found the culprit Srikrishna and produced him in court, where he has been remanded in judicial custody.

Also read: Will Lingayat seer's 'Dharma Yuddha' impact Pralhad Joshi's support in Karnataka?

Unacceptable, says Archbishop

Meanwhile, Dr Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bangalore, termed the accused's justification as "baseless and reprehensible". And, he asked people not to fall prey to attempts at communal provocation.

"The purpose of such statements is only to spread communal tension and discord,” he pointed out, adding that this disrespect towards a great saint like Shivakumar Swami Ji, who was a symbol of peace, compassion and secular values, is "unacceptable".

Shivakumar Swami, who passed away in 2019 at 111, was respected for his philanthropic contributions, particularly in education and social welfare. The seer was often referred to as a "walking God" by his followers.