The police used batons and water cannons to dispel a mob that was protesting against an incident of damaging of idols in a temple in Sanganer area of Rajasthan here Friday night.

The idols in the Vir TejaJi temple along the Jaipur – Kota Highway, in Sanganer were found broken when devotees reached to perform puja early Saturday morning, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Tejasvani Gautam said.

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Soon crowd grew gradually on the spot and a group of people and some VHP and Bajrang Dal activists sat on peaceful dharna there to protest against the incident.

Suddenly, some elements from the crowd proceeded near to a petrol pump and tried to burn a tyre and blocked the highway.

Sensing the trouble the police instantly used force and also mild use of water cannon to disperse the mob.

The cops also picked up protesters from dharna site and taken them away to disperse elsewhere.

The cops and district administration officials has assured early arrests of the culprits.

Assurance for repairing in the temple, if needed, and also the installation of new idols as per the rituals and convention, was also made by the authorities, Gautam said.

The DCP and local folks were of the view that it seems to be act of some miscreants and right now possibility of communal angle is unlikely, as the people from all castes and creeds live here in total communal harmony and brotherhood.

However, teams of police have been formed to carry hunt for culprits and investigate the case keeping in view all possibilities all angles.

Now,the situation was peaceful and under control and the road traffic on Jaipur – Kota National Highway has been resumed, Gautam said.