The temple in Howrah was ransacked, with impressions of Hindu Gods and Goddesses stained with mud.

West Bengal's Howrah district finds itself gripped in tension after a Hindu temple was found vandalised today morning in the area.

The temple was ransacked, with portraits of Hindu Gods and Goddesses found stained with mud.

Many eye-witnesses have come forward claiming to have seen miscreants throwing the saffron flag into a drain and vandalising trident (trishul) of Hindu Gods.

Howrah is home to both Hindu and Muslim communities in vast numbers and with this latest incident, people from both the religions have condemned the act.

They allege that this could have been engineered by outsiders as both the communities have been co-existing harmoniously for years.

But the temple vandalisation has come in tow with celebrations of Islamic festival Urs- that saw night-long festivity in the area recently.

The police has in the meanwhile appealed to the locals to remain calm as they undertake an investigation.

With inputs from Baidyanath Jha from Howrah