Gopeshwar(U'khand), Apr 11 (PTI) Several organisations on Monday took out a march here and shops in the main market area downed their shutters in protest against the recent vandalisation of the Rudranath temple. The protest march was taken out from Gopinath Mandir to the District Magistrate's office where a sit-in was held against the Saturday incident in which the main gates of the temple were broken and the iron grill fencing off its sanctum sanctorum was damaged.

People associated with different organisations, "hak hakookdharis" (those having traditional rights of the temple) and other stakeholders took part in the protest. This is the fourth time that the temple has been vandalised, temple priest Harish Bhatt said.

Also Read | Punjab Shocker: Man Kills Wife With Axe in Muktsar.

Located at a height of nearly 10000 ft above sea level, the Rudranath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is part of the Panch Kedar group of temples. The temple gates are closed at present for winters and the presiding deity is being worshipped at his winter abode - Gopeshwar's Gopinath temple. The vandalisation of the temple came to light when a forest patrol party visited it on Saturday and found its portals broken.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)