Muslim Jamaat in Thoothukudi demolishes Hindu temple hall, occupies temple land

Residents of Ganesapuram in Thoothukudi district have risen in protest after a Muslim Jamaat demolished a Hindu temple hall and occupied the temple land.

It is alleged that the members of the Jamaat broke the fence of the temple, demolished the temple hall and occupied the temple space.

In one of the video, a woman resident says that the temple hall where rituals and worship were conducted for years by the local Hindus was demolished by the Muslim Jamaat. She says that the villagers have been protesting since the morning asking government officials to take action. However they have been made to run pillar to post between Tahsildar office and police station in an attempt to quell the issue. She also says that the Jamaat members have been surveying and measuring the land wrongly. “The neem tree planted 40-50 years back which people worship is also being usurped by the Jamaat”, she says. She requests all organizations working to preserve Tamil culture to lend support.

In another video, an old lady names a few members of the Jamaat – Peer Mohammad, Sheikh Mohammad – and said that they had come and demolished the temple hall. She says that the police have not taken any action and are failing to register a case. “They haven’t filed a case.. all they are asking us to do is wait, wait, wait.” She says that the villagers won’t budge until action is taken on the Muslim land grabbers.

The issue meanwhile is beginning to get traction on social media.