Fire at Sattari shrine, arson suspected

Keri: The Basaveshwar shrine, located in the forests of Zadani, Sattari, was recently damaged in a suspected arson attack. Last year, the stone sculptures housed in the shrine were found to be vandalised.
Sudesh Vantekar, a birdwatcher who recently visited the shrine, told TOI that the fire had affected the structure. “Utensils and other items used for Mahashivratri celebrations were thrown out,” he said. The donation box in the core area of the sanctuary was also found to be broken and the CCTV cameras damaged.
Zadani, an uninhibited village as per the census, has been part of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary since 1999. However, some people thereafter built a shrine in the area which attracts several devotees during Mahashivratri. Stone sculptures that were once scattered across Zadani, Cadval and Pendral were ultimately housed in the shrine.