A shocking incident unfolded at the Eelapatheeswarar Alayam temple in London's Wembley on 6th January, when a man allegedly desecrated the idols and caused a disturbance inside the temple. The Metropolitan Police was called to the temple to address the situation and protect its sanctity. The incident began when a man entered the temple wearing shoes, which is prohibited as a sign of respect for the deity. After being asked to remove his shoes by the devotees and temple volunteers, the man became aggressive and threw one of the murtis out of the sanctum sanctorum and smashed an oil lamp in the temple.

Rajasingham Jayadevan, the Founder of the temple and General Secretary of its Board of Trustees, described the man's aggressive behavior, noting that he even assaulted a police officer who arrived on the scene. The swift and effective response of the police was commended, and the 22-year-old man was detained and subsequently arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. Jayadevan also suggested that the man's actions may have been fueled by the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, speculating that the individual's behavior could be related to India's support for Israel in the Middle East conflict.

The temple, which was built by Eelam Tamils who had fled Sri Lanka due to the civil war, has lived in harmony with the local mosque for the past 20 years, according to Jayadevan. However, this incident has raised concerns within the local Hindu community and sparked a conversation about the safety and security of religious institutions. The Eelapatheeswarar Alayam temple, which was founded 30 years ago and attracts devotees from various Indian states, witnessed an alarming event that has prompted discussions about religious tolerance and respect for diverse faiths within the community. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact the relationships between different religious groups within the neighborhood.