Cuttack, May 6: The demolition drive against religious structures encroaching on government land here resumed today after two days amid tight security.

Authorities of the enforcement squad razed the Bhakti Bedanta Ashram as a portion of the institution could not be demolished on Friday.

The ashram had come up on 8.316 acres on the banks of the Kathajodi river.

A Kali-Hanuman and Shiv temple, popularly known as Trishakti temple at Kathajodi Vihar in CDA’s Markatnagar, was also demolished today.

“We completed eviction inside the Bhakti Bedanta Ashram and another temple nearby. The Trishakti temple had come up on an acre,” said sub-collector S. Parida.

Sources said the Trishakti temple was set up in 2001, and apart from the shrine, two small houses had also come up on the encroached land. Both the houses were also demolished.

“I had set up the temple and later a permanent structure was built,” said priest Maheswar Panda.

Panda said that though the officials had conducted a survey and taken the temple’s pictures, no eviction notice was served.

Local people have expressed displeasure over the demolition of the Trishakti and other temples in the city.

“We condemn such drive as the Trishakti temple was not at all causing any obstruction to traffic or creating any problem,” said Kashinath Sahu, a local resident.

They further said the authorities should constitute an enforcement squad to ensure that no government land was encroached in any form.

The district administration is carrying out demolition of unauthorised religious structures according to an Orissa High Court order.

Around 200 unauthorised religious structures were identified and four have been demolished since the eviction drive was launched on May 1.

The high court has fixed tomorrow for hearing petitions filed by several religious institutions seeking intervention against the drive alleging violation of high court order.