Karnataka: Court orders Hampi temple vandalisers to restore pillars, imposes fine of Rs 70,000

A Karnataka court on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 70,000 on four people in Hampi for damaging ancient pillars of a ruined temple at the world heritage site and ordered the guilty to restore the pillars in the presence of the state police.

On February 2, a video went viral on social media which purportedly showed miscreants damaging pillars in the temple ruins of Hampi.

After the incident, Bellary SP Arun Rangarajan told reporters that four to five people were involved in the incident.

Subsequently, the police arrested them.

The development came days after the Time magazine listed the Hampi World Heritage site as the second must-see place in 2019.

Hampi, an ancient village in Karnataka, is dotted with numerous ruined temple complexes from the Vijayanagara empire.

It is believed to have been the country's richest city, which has attracted traders from Persia and Portugal.