Malaysian authorities on Tuesday said they have arrested 21 people in connection with the clashes at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya, AP reported. The riots were sparked by attempts to relocate the Hindu temple.

Clashes broke out on Monday over the relocation of the century-old shrine on land owned by property developer MCT Berhad, the news agency reported. The developer’s unit One City Development is embroiled in a legal dispute with the temple board over the relocation.

A group of people allegedly attacked devotees praying at the temple and set several vehicles ablaze. On Tuesday morning, a group allegedly vandalised the property developer’s office and set some vehicles on fire.

Malaysian minister P Waytha Moorthy called on the Malaysian Indian community “to exercise calm and keep a cool head” following the incident, New Straits Times reported. “The issue is between the developer of the land where the temple is located and the temple management, and it should not be exploited and turned into a racial conflict,” Moorthy said in a statement on Tuesday.

Moorthy said the government will not tolerate any violence. “I urge the police to take immediate action to curb violence and mob rule undertaken by several groups in the name of safeguarding the temple,” Moorthy said. “I also urge the temple management committee to manage the crowd which turns up at the temple as it is their responsibility to safeguard devotees who came to the shrine.”

The property developer, on Monday, refuted allegations that it had incited the violence against the temple said it was trying to resolve the matter legally, AP reported. The firm also said that it had offered compensation to build a new temple elsewhere.

Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor said 700 anti-riot personnel have been deployed to the site to maintain peace.