Residents protest cleaning of pond, suspect foul play

They alleged that some vested interests were trying to demolish the houses in the pretext of cleaning of the Kalyani. The temple authorities demolished a few houses and were planning to demolish a few more in the area, they charged.

They said that former minister Shobha Karandlaje recently visited the area and had promised to send a team of officials from the Muzrai department to study the facts on April 26. However, the demolition works continued after she departed. The local police failed to take any steps to stall the demolition work, they alleged.

The Ulsoor police refuted the charges and said that the residents were under the impression that the cleaning process would damage their houses and hence, they were making such allegations.

It was up to the Muzrai department to decide on such issues. Moreover, many of them had constructed houses illegally, the police said. The police rushed to the spot, pacified the protesters and brought the situation under control.