THOOTHUKUDI: Soorangudi police registered a case against 27 persons on charges of demolishing a temple wall in Vembar. According to the FIR, the police named 17 suspects and 10 unidentified persons in the case under sections of BNS and Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act.
Sources said, members of the Pathirakaliamman temple and a CSI church attached to the Thoothukudi-Nazareth diocese at Subramaniapuram in Vembar have been engaged in a four-decade long land dispute. However, it was settled in favour of the Pathirakaliamman temple recently.
Despite rejection of several appeals, temple authorities constructed a boundary wall citing court orders, which did not go down well with the church, said sources. Temple authorities urged the church to vacate shops and the priest's house within the land owned by them as per the order.
Irked by this, miscreants damaged the temple wall, removed the name board of the temple and CCTV cameras, which led to a law and order situation. Security in the region was beefed up, sources said.
During a peace meeting held by Kovilpatti RDO, church authorities agreed to shift. Based on a complaint given by Pathirakaliamman temple head, the Soorangudi police registered a case against the suspects including 17 identifiable persons and 10 others. No arrests have been made so far.