An idol of Lord Shani Dev was vandalised by some unidentified people in the Mirhachi area of this district, the second such incident in a week that sparked tension in the locality, police said on Sunday.

According to officials, the incident took place on Saturday evening in Datei village. The idol's head, hands and mace were damaged.

Village head Pankaj Singh lodged a complaint against unknown persons and demanded swift action in the matter even as police officials urged villagers to maintain peace.

Circle Officer Sanjay Singh, along with Station House Officer (SHO) Neeta Maheshwari and a large police force, inspected the site. "This is a serious incident. We are investigating the matter from all angles and will arrest the culprits soon," Singh said.

The SHO appealed to locals to remain calm and assured them that police personnel had been deployed in the village to maintain law and order.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.