Demolition of 'Bhandara mane': 3 arrested

Mangaluru: The Ullal police have arrested three persons in connection with the demolition of an under construction "Bhandara mane" adjacent to the Kondana Daivasthana in Kotekar town panchayat limits in Ullal police station jurisdiction.

Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal said that the arrested are Muttana Shetty, Dheeraj and Shivraj. The Kondana Daivasthana comes under the endowment department. Miscreants had demolished the under construction Bhandara mane (a structure for keeping items related to demigod worship) on a government land adjacent to the Daivasthana using an earth mover on Sunday morning.

Based on the complaint by Kotekar TP Chief Officer Anand, the police had registered a case under IPC Sections 143,147,148,295,427 read with 149 and Section 2A of Karnataka Prevention Of Destruction And Loss Of Property Act.

The Ullal police have been successful in arresting three persons in connection with the incident who in turn have accepted the crime committed by them.

During the interrogation, the arrested had said that the Daivasthana has 16 'gurikararu.' All the gurikararu's had not agreed for the construction of new Bhandara mane. The construction of it was illegal and was constructed without permission.

Though a complaint was submitted to the Assistant Commissioner and Tahsildar, no action was taken. Hence, they decided to demolish the building on their own, said the police.

Assembly Speaker who also represents Mangalore Assembly constituency U T Khader has condemned the demolition of an under construction Bhandara mane at Kondana Daivasthana.

The incident is a black mark on the district and is painful. He has directed the police to initiate action against the culprits responsible for the act.