Srinagar, Jun 15 (IANS): The man who allegedly desecrated an ancient temple in Jammu, was "mentally challenged", the Jammu and Kashmir government said here on Wednesday after a ruckus in the assembly over the incident.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Haq Khan told the house that police had arrested the accused, identified only by his first name Yasir of Doda district.

The minister said Yasir was "a mentally challenged person as per the police officials who had questioned him" in connection with the desecration of a temple in Roop Nagar area of Jammu city on Tuesday.

As legislators assembled in the house, BJP members stood on their seats raking up the incident that they said had created a "serious" situation in Jammu.

Lone Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami intervened and asked the lawmakers to set examples to unite the state and not create any situation that would divide it on communal lines.

Tarigami was supported by National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah who said the same statement should normally have come from the treasury benches instead of the opposition.