Police arrested five minors boys on charges of vandalising more than 25 idols and sculpture at the Periyanayaki Amman temple near Tiruvarur on Tuesday. The boys were arrested after they broke the cement idols to steal iron rods kept inside the sculptures to buy liquor bottles.

All the five, who hail from same village, have been sent to a juvenile home in Thanjavur, police said. The incident happened when the villagers were preparing to perform the concecration of a temple which has a total of 25 idols and sculptures of deities. The

broke the idols of Periyanayaki Amman, Lord Murugan, Kala Bairava and scultures of bull, lion and tiger. The arrest came following an investigation necessaited by a complaint by the village heads with

police.