135 people detained during anti-encroachment drive near Somnath Temple

Gir Somnath: As many as 135 people were detained during a demolition drive to clear encroachments from government lands near Somnath Temple in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district on Saturday, officials said.

Hundreds of police personnel were deployed for the drive undertaken to remove unauthorised structures on government land at Prabhas Patan in Veraval, the site of Somnath Temple, the district administration said in a statement.

The administration said religious structures and concrete houses were demolished during the drive that began in the early hours of the day, and it has freed around 15 hectares of government land valued at Rs 60 crore.

Labourers were brought in on 52 tractors, 58 bulldozers, two hydra cranes, five dumpers, two ambulances and three firefighters were involved in the exercise, the release said.

As per the release, 788 police personnel and the state reserve police force (SRPF) were deployed along with senior police and district administration officers.Three superintendents of police, four deputy superintendents of police, 12 inspectors, 24 sub-inspectors, and the additional district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate, and executive magistrates were present.

"Around 135 people were detained as part of the operation," it said.

The law and order situation is under control in the area, and no untoward incidents have occurred, police said.