Kurukshetra administration razes portion of accused’s house

Officials said the illegal structure included the boundary walls of a dargah and the house of accused Pankaj, both reported as encroachments on the village phirni by the administration

Days after a temple priest was allegedly thrashed by a group of people at Adhoni village in Kurukshetra district, the district administration on Monday demolished a portion of illegal structures reportedly constructed by the prime accused.

The action took place in the presence of block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Thanesar Amit Kumar, as duty magistrate, with police deployed to maintain law and order. (HT File)

Officials said the illegal structure included the boundary walls of a dargah and the house of accused Pankaj, both reported as encroachments on the village phirni by the administration.

The action took place in the presence of block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Thanesar Amit Kumar, as duty magistrate, with police deployed to maintain law and order.

Police said the incident happened on July 9, when Pankaj, who lives opposite the temple, along with his wife Manpreet and Indra Ram thrashed Yogiraj Giri, priest of the village temple.

Police have already arrested all the accused for the crime and sent them to jail.

Pankaj had also established a dargah (shrine) for ‘Nakodar Peer’ at a portion behind his house. After his arrest, the police concluded that the accused harboured a grudge against Yogiraj and had previously threatened to kill him whenever he stepped out of his temple.

“The main gate and wall of the dargah have been demolished. Similarly, the portion of the boundary wall of the house that was on the village phirni has also been damaged. The drive will continue on other encroachments in the village in the coming days,” he added.