ELANGOVAN Annamalai is still reeling from the shock of the pre-dawn attack at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya this morning.

The Save Seafield Temple Task Force committee member needed 10 stitches to his head after being hit by a sharp object.

Elangovan, a businessman, said he was attacked when he tried to negotiate with one of the masked men that had chased the devotees out of the temple.

“During the attack this morning, about 45 people protecting the temple were chased out of the temple by men wielding iron rods, machetes, and other weapons.

“They were holding another five people hostage in the temple. It was when I went to ask for their release that I got hit by the object flung at me,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Some 150 men reportedly stormed the temple at 2.15am this morning in an attempt to intimidate the devotees into leaving.

Ten vehicles were burnt before 100 police and fire and rescue personnel were deployed to the 147-year-old temple at about 5am.

Elangovan said he was then rushed to a clinic in Seri Kembangan where he received outpatient treatment for his wounds.

“After getting patched up, I headed back to the temple to protect it,” he said.

Elangovan said he and the other devotees decided to mount a 24-hour watch to protect the temple after receiving an eviction notice on November 23 by lawyers representing the developers who own the land the temple sits on.

“We gathered 50 people on Friday and Saturday to help protect the temple.

“On Sunday, we had a function in Brickfields at 9pm, then headed back to the temple. The incident occurred at 1.30am.”

The devotees said they will gather at the temple until their court case is heard on Thursday.

Police said they have arrested seven men following the clash. – November 26, 2018.