PALAKKAD: A Christmas crib set up at Government Boys School at Thathamangalam in Palakkad was found vandalized by unidentified miscreants on Monday.

The authorities at the Government Boys UP School in Chenthamara Nagar, at Thathamangalam filed a complaint with the Chittur police station regarding the incident.

The incident comes a day after the police arrested three persons – two Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders and one Bajrang Dal activist – for attempting to disrupt Christmas celebrations at a school in another school, in Nallepilly, Palakkad, on Friday.

According to a local residents, the crib was installed at the school on Friday as part of the Christmas festivities. Teachers discovered the damage when they arrived on Monday morning.

“It seems that the decorations were pulled out using a long stick or possibly a coconut frond inserted through the locked school gate. There were also signs of an attempt to break the lock,” said the resident, who wished to remain anonymous.

Meanwhile, the Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty, who is the local MLA, visited the school and expressed concern over the incident. He said that the act may have been premeditated. The minister also said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told him that a thorough investigation by a special team would be conducted into the incident and assured stringent action against those responsible.