Temple Workers’ Houses Razed in Midnight Operation Heavy machinery used; locals blame land mafia

Puttur: In a shocking incident, two houses belonging to workers of the Mahalingeshwara Temple in Puttur were demolished in the early hours of Monday by unidentified individuals wielding heavy machinery.The houses, one of which belonged to Rajesh Bannur, a resident of the temple colony, were razed without prior notice. Belongings, including furniture, a television, and a refrigerator, were reportedly destroyed in the process. Residents said the group, allegedly armed with clubs and other weapons, carried out the operation around 3 a.m., intimidating onlookers.

Locals have pointed fingers at a suspected land mafia backed by influential political figures for orchestrating the demolition. Shocked residents have questioned the legality of the act, stating that any alteration or demolition of temple property must be approved by the Commissioner of the Endowments Department in Bengaluru, as per the rules governing temple properties in Karnataka.Former MP terms it an act of dacoity:Former state president of BJP and former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, who visited the spot, termed it a ‘dacoity’ of sorts.

Speaking to Hans India, Kateel said “On the looks of it it looks like outright dacoity and forceful eviction. There was no officer of the government or the police. The people who have demolished the houses have used the armed mafia to keep away the families and their relatives. According to the procedure, an official of the grade of assistant commissioner, a tahsildar, and police officials of the rank of circle inspector must be present during such operations of clearing properties belonging to the endowment department; it must be informed through the court order to the tenants if it is done legally. There is nothing legal here, as some weapon-wielding mafia wearing masks had given protection to the demolition squad, there was no notice, court order, or even a government official present,” a furious Nalin Kumar Kateel said. In another development, the local police have been accused of not taking the complaints from the families that have been rendered homeless. The incident has sparked outrage in Puttur, with demands for a thorough investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.