Man attacks temple statues, crashes car during escape attempt

IPOH: Several statues at a temple in Jalan Ashby here were damaged by an unidentified individual today.
The temple's assistant priest, A. Iswaran, 26, said in a police report that the man came in a car and destroyed the statues of deities about 5pm.
Damage was estimated at RM15,000.
Several devotees also lodged similar police reports.
During Thaipusam, devotees will carry kavadis and milk pots from the temple to fulfil their vows at the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunung Cheroh nearby.
Police have arrested a man to facilitate investigations.
A temple committee member said based on the information given by the assistant priest, the man was seen carrying a machete.
Later he took a metal rod from a car and started breaking the statues.
The temple committee was informed of the incident and alerted police.
The man drove off in the car but met with an accident in Fair Park a few metres away and was subsequently detained.
A few devotees rushed to the temple after the incident was posted on social media.