A £100,000 sacred wooden chariot was destroyed by arsonists last Thursday sparking outrage in the Hindu community.

The chariot, also known as a juggernaut, was kept in the car park behind the Sivayogam London Muthumari Amman Kovil temple in Hebdon Road, Tooting.

Nagendran Seevaradnam, 74, founder and spiritual leader of the temple spoke of his distress at the wanton act of destruction. He said: "It is a very significant item to a Hindu Temple, it is a beautiful chariot.

"Everybody is crying. I felt they poured petrol on me."

Four hooded me were caught on CCTV pouring petrol on the juggernaut before setting it alight just before midnight on November 17.

One of the arsonist is believed to have been injured during the fire which left the chariot damaged beyond repair.

It is not yet clear if there was a racial or religious motivation for the crime.

The juggernaut is used on August bank holiday Monday as part of the Hindu chariot festival in Tooting and Mitcham.

Council leader Ravi Govindia has called on all sections of the community to come together to combat the violent behaviour.

He said: “This was not an attack just on the Hindu community in Tooting - it was an attack on each and every one of us.

“Tooting is such a successful multicultural community and an attack on any one of these communities will never be acceptable.

“Now is the time for everyone who deplores such behaviour to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in defence of these values.”

Local MP Sadiq Khan is also urging witnesses to come forward who may have seen the arsonists set fire to the chariot.

He said: "Sight of the chariots being carried down the high street is a spectacle all Tooting residents know and love.

"If anybody has seen anything or know anybody who may have something to do with this, I urge them to come forward and speak to the police."

Members of the National Hindu Students Forum (NHSF), an organisation for Hindu students, have pledged to help rebuild the chariot.

A spokesperson for the NHSF said: "Whether the attacks were deliberate or otherwise local leaders must support the Hindu community, one that is peaceful and cohesive, and find out why such violent acts have occurred."

Craftsman Dr Jeyakantham Saramanamuththu spent months hand-carving the chariot, who also has his work displayed in Washington.

It symbolises a vehicle used by Hindu god Lord Krishna in the scripture Mahabharata and is used to parade deities from the temple to the streets of Tooting and Mitcham.

The parade takes place so people who cannot make it to the temple can still worship, with around 5,000 devotees travelling to Figges Marsh each year to celebrate.

In India and parts of Sri Lanka the chariot is paraded around the village or city, believing to bring prosperity to the area.

A spokesman for Wandsworth police said: "Police are keeping an open mind as to the motive of the suspects."

Anyone who has information about the incident can call the Investigation Team on 020 8247 8482, or alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.