Salangpur: Sethli village-based Bhupat Khachar, a follower of the Vadtal branch of the Swaminarayan faith has filed a complaint against three Hanuman bhakts including Harshad Gadhvi, Jesing Bharwad, and Baldev Bharward over the yesterday’s incident in which controversial murals distorting Hanuman ji were defaced by Gadhvi with black paint and stick in his hands. Police detained Gadhvi immediately yesterday. A complaint has been filed under PIC sections 295(A), 153(A), 427, 50692), 120(b), GP act section 135.

Meanwhile, more police force has been deployed at Salangpur. State Reserve Police (SRP) team, 3 DySPs, 2 Police Inspectors, 8 Police Sub Inspectors, 174 other policemen and 67 Gram Rakshak Dal jawans are present for the security of the Salangpur campus where controversial murals distorting Hanuman ji are installed.

The temple management has closed the main gate to prevent any further attack on controversial murals in which the Hindu God Hanuman has been shown bowing to Sahajanand Swami of the Swaminarayan sect with folded hands. Railing supported by tall bamboo sticks has been installed around the platform of the ‘King of Salangpur’ statue of Hanuman on which controversial murals are situated. The mandir management has also closed the parking area of the mandir. The mandir management has also arranged bouncers to guard the controversial murals in which Bhagwan Hanuman has been shown as dasa of Sahajanand Swami which happened over two hundred years ago.

A foot march was held by Sanatani Sadhus, locals, and devotees under the banner of Sanatani Hindu Sangathan-Barwala in Salangpur today protesting the depiction of Hanuman ji by the Vadtal branch of the Swaminarayan sect. Police vehicles were placed to prevent entry of this foot march into the mandir campus. With the intervention of local Mamlatdar, it was decided that a few leaders of the march should go inside the mandir and hold talks with Vivek swami of the Vadtal Swaminarayan branch.  DeshGujarat