Mangaluru: Eight persons have been arrested for allegedly destroying Nagabanas (sacred grooves) at two places with an intention of creating communal tension in the area.

Police said one Nagabana belonging to Kotian family living in Bangra Kuloor was destroyed between October 20 and 23, while another set of five Nagabanas was destroyed in Kodikal on November 12.

The Nagabanas are deemed to be the resting place of snakes and defacing the groves is considered a sacrilege.

The incidents took a serious turn after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajarang Dal took cognisance, staged protests in Kodikal and observed a bandh in the neighbourhood.

Police are on the hunt for tracing the masterminds behind these incidents and also those who provided logistics to the accused, Managaluru City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said.

The accused were identified as Safwan alias Chappu, Mohammed Suhaib, Praveen Anil Monteiro, Nikhilesh, Jayanth, Pratheek, Manjunath Poojary and Naushad Arehalli, said the CP, adding that Safwan and Suhaib are facing charges under the NDPS Act. They hail from Shanthinagar, Panjimogaru, Bantwal, Kuloor and Hassan districts of Karnataka, said Kumar.