In a late-night operation on Tuesday, the Raichur district administration demolished an illegal temple constructed on a civic amenities (C.A.) land in LBS Nagar. The structure, which housed idols of Shiva and Ganesha, was cleared to facilitate the construction of a government school.
The operation, led by Raichur assistant commissioner Gajanan Balle and supported by the city municipal council (CMC), was carried out with the assistance of a JCB machine and heavy police protection. The site was designated for the L.B.S. Nagar Government High School, with approvals granted on June 1, 2022. However, local opposition to the school’s construction delayed the project, officials familiar with the matter said.
Originally intended as a shed for storing construction materials, the structure was repurposed by local residents into a makeshift temple . Despite the site’s allocation for educational purposes, the transformation of the shed into a temple sparked a dispute between residents and authorities.
Deputy commissioner K Nitish said: “The C.A. site in L.B.S. Nagar was allocated for a government school. However, locals had raised objections to the construction of the school. A shed, initially meant for construction materials, was turned into a temple with idols. This caused delays in the school construction work.”
He said that the demolition was a joint operation under the supervision of Raichur CMC commissioner Gurusiddayya, additional SPs Shivkumar and Harish, three DySPs, and over 10 police inspectors.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the demolition was a joint operation under the supervision of Raichur CMC commissioner Gurusiddayya, additional SPs Shivkumar and Harish, three DySPs, and over 10 police inspectors.
{{/usCountry}}Despite strong local opposition, authorities ensured the operation proceeded without incident. The deputy commissioner emphasised that funds had already been sanctioned for the school, and the grant from the Karnataka-Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) was being utilised to begin construction.
With the temple cleared, work on the four-classroom school building is expected to begin promptly, Nitish said. The authorities added that the decision was made in the larger interest of the community and to ensure educational infrastructure is available in the area.