Officials said the episode occurred on Saturday at the temple in Sherpur, within the Bihar Sharif area. Residents alleged that several children entered the premises, threw stones and bricks and tried to damage the idol. Police examined footage from cameras installed at the temple before taking three children into custody for questioning.
The ages reported by officials are legally significant. Section 20 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita states that nothing done by a child under seven years of age constitutes an offence. The provision creates an absolute exemption from criminal liability for children below seven, meaning any police action involving the three children must be handled within the safeguards governing children rather than ordinary criminal prosecution.
Because all three are young children, their identities have not been disclosed. The Juvenile Justice law restricts publication of identifying particulars of children involved in proceedings and places emphasis on care, protection and rehabilitation. Police have not said how long the children remained with officers, whether their parents were present during questioning, or when they left afterwards.
Police said a first information report had been registered on the basis of a written complaint and that further legal action was under way. Authorities did not immediately disclose the specific penal provisions invoked or explain whether the children had been formally apprehended under juvenile justice procedures or were only being questioned in the presence of guardians.
Residents said bricks and stones were found scattered inside the temple when people arrived on Saturday. Suraj Kumar, a local resident, said the premises were initially cleaned before residents checked the CCTV recording. He alleged that the footage showed children throwing objects inside the temple and urinating near the Shivalinga.
Kumar said residents informed the administration rather than confronting anyone, citing concern that the incident could cause tension. He also raised complaints about access to the temple, alleging that encroachment and the closure of one approach road had made entry difficult. Those claims were not independently established by the authorities.
Aman Kumar, who performs prayers at the temple, alleged that people had previously gathered around the premises and that thefts had occurred there. He said the latest acts had hurt the sentiments of devotees. Police have not publicly linked the Saturday episode to any organised group or established a broader motive.
The temple is located in Ward 41 of the Bihar Sharif Assembly constituency. It was inaugurated on Mahashivratri this year by Bihar Sharif MLA Sunil Kumar. Officials said construction remains incomplete and the temple does not yet have a boundary wall, leaving the premises relatively easy to enter.
Authorities deployed magistrates, police officers and additional personnel around the temple after the complaint, describing the measure as precautionary. Officials said the situation remained normal and under control on Sunday and that patrols and monitoring were continuing to prevent any escalation.
The handling of the children is expected to draw scrutiny because of their age. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, children below seven cannot incur criminal responsibility for an act. The Juvenile Justice framework also requires child-friendly procedures when police deal with children alleged to have come into conflict with the law, including safeguards against treatment resembling ordinary arrest or detention.
No official statement available on Sunday indicated that the children had been accused of acting at the direction of adults. Police also had not announced the detention of any adult in connection with the vandalism. The investigation therefore remained focused on establishing the sequence of events, the extent of damage and the circumstances in which the children entered the premises.
