BHUBANESWAR: The joint exercise of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to demolish encroachments in front of Iskcon temple at Nayapalli here turned violent as the followers of the sect clashed with police on Saturday. Three persons including two members of enforcement squad were injured in the stone pelting by Iskcon followers.
Following massive water-logging in front of the Iskcon temple several times a few days back, the BMC and BDA authorities decided to evict the encroached areas for free flow of rainwater. The BMC had also issued a notice in this regard to the temple administration. As the encroached structures were not removed, the two authorities took up the demolition drive in presence of police.
All the illegal structures along the service road adjoining NH-16 from CRP Square to Indradhanu Market were demolished. The drive, which continued from 9 am to 1.30 pm, razed several illegal establishments including shops, structures built by a petrol bunk, boundary walls and parking lots of a shopping mall and a hotel. Two platoons of police and officials of NHAI were deployed during the drive.
As the Iskcon followers opposed the demolition of unauthorized structures including Samadhi Peeth (memorial) of Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja in front of the temple and pelted stones at the enforcement squad, the police resorted to lathi-charge. Two officials and another person sustained minor injuries in the stone pelting. Later, the situation was brought under control. It took more than four hours to demolish the encroached area of about 2400 sq ft.
Claiming that the temple had not encroached any Government land, Iskcon spokesperson Radhakanta Das said, “The way the enforcement team demolished the ‘Bhajan Kutir’ of Iskcon founder and Samadhi of our spiritual guru is completely inhuman and against law.”
He further said though they had assured civic authorities of relocating the Samadhi Peeth and sought time for the purpose, their plea was not heeded. On the other hand, BMC officials said the temple authorities were given ample time but they failed to comply with the notice. Even the temple president was issued show cause notice four days back, they added.
The BMC officials said after clearing the encroachment, the waterlogging along the stretch will be addressed to a large extent. A sewerage channel will be developed and the existing drain widened for smooth discharge of stormwater, they added.