SEVERAL people were injured and multiple cars set ablaze after a group of masked men stormed the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya, early today.

Police and the Federal Reserve Unit were called in and roads around the area were closed, said the Subang Jaya district police on Facebook.

According to reports, the masked men were at the scene at 2am to demolish the 147-year-old Hindu temple. Residents tried to stop them by surrounding the house of worship.

The stand-off descended into chaos when both sides clashed, resulting in several people getting injured and vehicles set on fire.

A resident said the incident was not a racial riot and accused a developer in the area of hiring thugs to demolish the temple.

Bernama reported Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor as saying two men in their 30s have been arrested to facilitate investigations.

He said the duo were arrested at Serdang Hospital, where they had sought treatment for injuries sustained during the clash.

“Eighteen cars and two motorcycles were torched in the incident.

“A police patrol car was also damaged after stones were hurled at the vehicle.” – November 26, 2018.