Salem residents stage dharna against temple demolition
The Hindu
Residents of Ammapet stage dharna, 12 arrested, released on bail, after Madras High Court orders temple demolition.
Residents of Ammapet staged a dharna outside a temple in the locality on Tuesday in protest against its demolition by corporation officials. Ammapet police arrested 12 protestors and released them on bail later as the corporation carried out the demolition.
A case filed with the Madras High Court by Mariappan, a local resident, alleged that Sakthi Kaliamman temple, situated at Kunjankadu Road in Ammapet in Ward 41 of Salem Corporation, was hindering traffic in the area and sought its demolition. In April this year, the High Court directed removal of the temple from the locality.
.After receiving the court order, the Corporation instructed temple committee members twice to remove the temple on their own. But with the administration failing to take any action, Corporation officials on Tuesday went to the site to demolish the temple, where local residents staged a dharna outside. Ammapet police were called in to intervene, and they registered a case against 12 residents, who were later released on bail.