The incident came to light when devotees arrived for darshan and were shocked to see the Kali statue styled in the form of Mother Mary.
Angered by what they described as a violation of religious beliefs, they confronted the temple management and alerted others in the neighbourhood, leading to a rapid escalation of tensions.
As protests grew, police reached the temple to investigate.
During questioning, the priest reportedly told officers that he had dressed the idol this way because Goddess Kali had “commanded him in a dream” to appear in the form of Mother Mary.
Acting on this claimed vision, he altered the idol’s appearance.
With tempers rising and several groups demanding action, police registered a case and arrested the priest.