Tension prevailed at Second Gate area here on Friday as railway officials tried to remove the Varadha Vinayagar Temple near the railway track of Thoothukudi Melur Railway Station to facilitate the laying of second broad gauge track.
As the Southern Railway is laying the second track between Thoothukudi and Madurai, the temple, which was once a temporary structure very close to the railway track of Thoothukudi Melur Station and had over the years become a bigger and permanent structure, had to be removed. As per the order from the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, the Southern Railway issued notice to the temple authorities several weeks ago asking them to remove the structure and had given them a deadline.
As the temple was not removed even after the deadline lapsed, the railway authorities arrived at the spot on Thursday night to remove the structure. Opposing it, cadres of the BJP and the Hindu Munnani gathered there and asked the officials to give “adequate time” to perform a few rituals before the idols were removed.
The railway officials, in the presence of Inspector of Police, Thoothukudi Central Police Station, Jayaprakash, held talks with the protestors and they agreed to remove the idols after performing the rituals by Sunday to facilitate the demolition of the temple.
However, the railway authorities came to the temple again on Friday evening to start the demolition, triggering tension at the Second Gate area with the BJP and the Hindu Munnani cadre gathering there. After the officials were told to wait till Sunday for performing the rituals, they left the spot.
