A 40-year-old man was arrested by Ambur Taluk police in Tirupattur on Tuesday, for reportedly damaging granite idols of a local Vinayagar temple.

The police said the arrested person was identified as R. Suresh Babu, a resident of Madhanur village near Ambur town. Initial inquiry revealed that devotees visited the temple on Monday as part of Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations when they saw damage to a few Amman idols in the temple.

They informed temple authorities, who alerted the local police. A team of police personnel from Ambur Taluk inspected the spot. A case was registered and special teams analysed CCTV camera footage in the area.

The police said the suspect resides opposite to the temple. The CCTV camera footage showed him entering the temple and hastily leaving the premises. When the police inquired Babu, he told them that he had damaged the granite idols as he felt that such granite idols in the temple are against tradition.

He was arrested and lodged at Central Prison in Vellore. A probe is under way.