The management of a Ranchi temple filed an FIR on Friday after unidentified people chopped several branches of a hundred year-old banyan tree at Chutia on Thursday night, the uncalled for act enraging several regular devotees.

Secretary of Sri Ram Janaki Prabhandhan Samiti Suresh Sahu said the temple, around 350 years old, had two aged banyan trees within its premises and these were regularly worshipped by hundreds of visitors to the shrine.

'Antisocial elements have mindlessly chopped several branches of one of two revered trees, which has upset people. We don't know who did it, but it was done at night. As a precaution, we have filed an FIR with the police, demanding an investigation so that the culprits can be identified. It is a sensitive matter,' said the secretary of the samiti that manages the temple spread over 80 decimal land in Chutia.

Asked whether the samiti suspected anyone, Sahu said that they did not want to play a guessing game and hence resorted to legal recourse to avert any law and order problem.

'This particular tree was located near the roadside but within the campus of the temple. There wasn't any construction going within the campus. Whatever establishments exist belong to the temple management. We never had any plans to chop the trees,' he said.

Officials at Chutia police station confirmed having lodged the FIR. A police officer said the tree must have been chopped by some local goons. He promised to patrol the area as a precaution and conduct a thorough investigation to identify the culprits.