Telangana man digs up national highway saying Lord Shiva asked him to. Photo courtesy: Ashish Pandey

India, out of all countries, has seen what blind faith can do. Be it for movie stars, politicians or a certain animal in the name of which Indian citizens kill fellow Indian citizens.

But credulity peaks when it comes to religion and religious beliefs.

The Telangana man who dug up a national highway hoping to find Shiva ling is the latest example for devout belief in religion.

The incident happened near Pembarthy village in Jangaon district of Telangana after a self-proclaimed godman -- Lakhan Manoj -- informed the villagers that Lord Shiva appeared in his dream, asked him to build a gigantic Shiva temple for him at a certain location and said that a Shiva ling is hiding underneath.

Photo: ANI Photo: ANI

Adding insult to injury, hundreds of villagers who believed the lunatic gathered and dug up the national highway to have a 'darshan' of Lord Shiva's ling.

Special prayers were conducted before unearthing of the national highway began. Curious villagers also joined the 30-year-old fellow at Warangal-Hyderabad highway and started digging in the middle of the road with the help of JCBs and shovels.

The local Sarpanch of the village and Jangaon municipal vice-chairman also joined the crowd believing Manoj's prophecy.

Photo: ANI Photo: ANI

"Manoj is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and has been getting this dream since three years. He asked us to help him dig up the spot and construct the temple. He used to conduct prayers at this location every Monday. As Manoj swooned in excitement at this spot we believed him," the Sarpanch told The Hindu.

Photo: ANI Photo: ANI

Hearing about the incident and noticing the disrupted vehicular movement on the highway Telangana Police rushed to the spot and detained Manoj, the Sarpanch and five others.

The villagers, on godman's instructions, dug up the highway up to 20 feet and quite obviously found nothing.

The police booked the accused for damaging public property.