Tension prevailed in a village in Mandya on Sunday after the district authorities made way for the Dalits to enter the temple and worship the deity 'Kalabhairaveshwara' for the first time.
The upper caste people, mostly Vokkaligas, allegedly took away the 'Utsava Murthy', the metallic festival idol of the deity for performing rituals outside the temple in Hanakere village.
Heavy police force has been deployed in Hanakere in view of the prevailing tension.
According to sources, there was an old Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy temple in the village and Dalits were never allowed to enter it.
About three years ago, the old dilapidated structure was demolished and a new temple was built.
Recently, the shrine came under the control of the Religious Endowment Department of the state government.
Soon, Dalits decided to enter the temple but the members of the upper caste communities did not agree. -- PTI