An operation to evict pavement and roadside encroachers was met with stiff opposition here on Thursday.
Accompanied by security personnel and equipped with lorries and eviction related materials, the officials of the town planning section landed in a congested part near the municipal market to remove encroachments in the form of shops including Aavin booths put up along a footpath.
Even as they loaded one of the shops on to a lorry, traders, activists and members of political outfits gathered there and opposed the move.
They alleged that the action of the officials was biased.