Brahmanbaria: Amid growing tensions over the recent vandalism of Hindu temples and houses in Nasirnagar upazila of the district, police on Saturday recovered an idol of Goddess Laxmi from a mosque at Bitui village in the upazila, reports UNB.

Talking to reporters, imam of Butui Uttarpara jam-e-masque M Shahab Uddin said when he entered the mosque for Fazr prayers he found an idol inside the mosque and informed the police and locals about it.

Later, police recovered the idol and took it to Nasirnagar Police Station, said officer-in-charge of the police station Abu Zafar.

The idol might have been tossed into the mosque for creating tensions in the area, the OC said.

Kunda union council chairman M Wachh Ali said any political group might have done this for taking advantage of the situation.

On 30 October, an unruly mob equipped with sharp weapons went berserk and demolished a number of Hindu temples and nearly 100 houses in Nasirnagar upazila following a rumour of a Facebook post demeaning the Holy Kaaba.

Miscreants set six dwelling structures of the Hindu community on fire at Nasirnagar upazila headquarters early Friday, escalating tension further in the trouble-hit upazila.