Temple demolition resumes in Cuttack, devotees up in arms

The Cuttack district administration today resumed demolition of places of worship encroaching government lands after a gap of a year.
The district administration and police demolished at least five temples along NH-5, but faced stiff opposition while trying to pull down the Bhuasini Mandir at Bhanapur.
The administration ended the drive on the day only to resume on Monday.
"We will review the situation and resume the removal of encroachments again on Monday," said additional district magistrate of Cuttack Sudarshan Parida.
The ADM said at least 11 places of worship have been identified along the NH-5 between Gopalpur and Phulnakhara, which would be pulled down as they have encroached upon government land.

It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court on June 26, 2013 had restrained the Odisha government from demolishing any more temples in Cuttack city while adjudicating over a batch of petitions filed by different temple trusts.
The trusts had challenged an impugned order of Orissa High Court passed on January 6, 2012, by the strength of which the Cuttack district administration had pulled down at least 30 places of worship in the city within a period of one-and-half-months.
The district authorities had then identified as many as 207 illegal religious institutions, including temples, encroaching government lands.