Police arrested a 55-year-old man in the early hours of Thursday as he allegedly placed the Holy Quran inside a temple in Patuakhali's Bauphal.
Locals handed over Md Md Idris from the village Nalua of Bakerganj upazila to the law enforcers as he tried to take to the heels after keeping the Quran at Sarbojonin Kali Mandir in Uttar Rajnagar-Palpara, Boga union.
At 3:30am Sanjoy Paul, a local, saw Idris coming out of the temple, Officer-in-Charge of Bauphal Police Station Al Mamun said.
Idris tried to run away as Sanjoy asked him what he was doing there.
Locals rushed to the place as Sanjoy shouted and caught Idris. They found the Quran on a pot in front of an idol of Goddess Kali.
At one point, Idris admitted that it was wrong for him to keep the Quran there.
On information, police came to the place at 4am and brought Idris to Bauphal Police Station. Additional police were deployed at the area to ward off further trouble.
Police filed a case in connection with the incident, Al Mamun said. "We will apply for taking the accused on remand in police custody for interrogation."