Mumbai: Municipal official transferred after Jains protest temple demolition

A municipal official in Mumbai members of the Jain community protested against the civic body bulldozing an allegedly illegal temple in Vile Parle, the Hindustan Times reported on Sunday.

The temple was demolished on . The temple is managed by the Shree 1008 Digambar Jain Mandir Trust.

Assistant Commissioner Navnath Ghadge Patil, who was in charge of the K East ward in Mumbai, was transferred after tens of thousands protested against the municipal corporation’s action.

In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the protesters had the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for carrying out the demolition, The Hindu reported.

The transfer of Patil was linked to the demolition drive carried out by the civic body, the newspaper quoted Vile Parle MLA Parag Alavani as saying.

Patil told the Hindustan Times that the Jain place of worship had been demolished in line with court directives, and that all legal procedures were followed.

The municipal corporation had a notice issued under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, Bar and Bench reported.

On April 7, a civil court in Mumbai had dismissed an application filed by the trust seeking interim protection. However, it had extended a prior stay on the demolition by a week, which expired on April 15, Bar and Bench reported.

On April 15, while the...