Tense moments prevailed at Muthalaipatti in Karur district on Friday after revenue officials assisted by a strong posse of police personnel came to remove all newly constructed structures of Sri Sellayee Amman Temple and extension of the shrine as per Madurai Bench of Madras High Court direction even as a large number of villagers gathered around the shrine opposing the removal.
The villagers who had been staging waiting agitation for the past two days following information that the temple structures would be demolished continued the stir for the third day on Friday. Women and children were also present during the agitation. Official sources said the newly constructed structures of the temple and its extension was in water course poromboke and hence it had to be removed.
Following High Court direction, a team of officials went to the village to remove all new structures assisted by a huge posse of police personnel. Karur Collector T. Anbalagan, Superintendent of Police R. Pandiarajan and senior officials landed at the village in the morning.
The Collector tried to convince the villagers who had resorted to waiting agitation that the officials had come to implement the High Court direction to remove all structures in the temple barring the sanctum sanctorum. The structures had to be removed as per High Court direction since it was established on water course poromboke, an official said.
The talks went on for over three hours at the village causing tense moments. The sources said the officials left the village without removing the encroachments for the time being. The villagers had involved women and children in the waiting agitation. Children did not go to school on Thursday and Friday due to their participation in the waiting agitation, the sources added.
