Three pistol-waving bearded men stormed a 60-year-old temple in Pakistan\u2019s largest city and desecrated the idol of a Hindu deity, leading to fear among the minority community here, a media report said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The incident happened on January 21 when the three men clad in salwar and kameez stormed the temple waving pistols and ordered everyone inside the premises to step out.<\/p>\n
The panic and scuffle that followed resulted in desecration of one of the three beautifully-decorated idols at the temple near the Karachi Zoological Gardens, Dawn<\/i> reported.<\/p>\n
People are afraid now: priest<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cThe people are afraid of coming here for puja now after the attack,\u201d said Maharaj Hira Lal.<\/p>\n
Other than the Maharaj and his family, the caretakers of this temple, nobody else was present when the scuffle broke.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know who those men were. We have never seen them before,\u201d the Maharaj said. \u201cWe are very saddened by the incident. It has really terrorised the neighbourhood,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
3 idols of deities <\/b><\/p>\n
The temple has three idols of deities Shitala Mata, Santoshi Mata and Bhavani Mata.<\/p>\n
Maharaj said the temple was built as a place for worship by his grandfather soon after he moved to Pakistan from India some 60 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was childless but adopted a 14-year-old boy, Mohan, who he brought up as his son. The young boy was soon married to a suitable Hindu girl, Champa Bai, who lived nearby in Soldier Bazaar. And I am Mohan and Champa\u2019s son,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Sterile women able to conceive\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cThe private temple soon became known when several women considered unable to give birth to children came to perform puja here following which they were able to conceive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen some eight years ago, during regular puja here, devotees witnessed another miracle when Kali Mata\u2019s footprints made from red holy powder abir suddenly appeared beside the mantel,\u201d the Maharaj said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/international\/panic-grips-pak-hindus-after-temple-is-desecrated\/article8183704.ece&media=http:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/multimedia\/dynamic\/02720\/PAKHINDUSREUTERS_j_2720879g.jpg&description=Panic "\\"Pin")
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘; <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Panic grips Pak Hindus after Karachi temple is desecrated – The Hindu<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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