Coimbatore: The city police arrested 25 Hindu Munnani cadres for staging a protest against the city municipal corporation that demolished a temple in an encroached land at Selvapuram on Sunday.
Rangasamy of Selvapuram, who was staying on the encroached land, had built the Shiva temple 40 years ago. The city corporation demolished Rangasamy’s house three years ago and provided him a house at Arivozhi Nagar near Kovaipudur. When corporation officials attempted to demolish the temple, Hindu Munnani cadres had opposed the move.
The civic body deployed more than 50 police personnel at the site before launching the demolition drive on Sunday. They arrested 25 Hindu Munnani cadres who opposed the drive. When police shifted them to a police vehicle, M Karthik, 24, of Selvapuram, damaged the interior of the vehicle. He was booked under Section 143 (unlawful assembly), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code, read with section 3 (i) of the Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act. Police arrested Karthik and remanded him in judicial custody. Rest of the HM men were let off later.
After demolishing the illegal structure, corporation officials removed three idols from there and kept them at the corporation office at Town Hall.