In what local Hindu residents are describing as a “brutal desecration,” an almost 150-year-old public Sundari Mitra Bari Durga Temple — reportedly reliant on government grants — has been demolished overnight, allegedly to facilitate an unlawful land grab. According to a complaint filed on 26 November 2025 with the Gournadi Model Police Station, the temple stood on a 10-decimal plot purchased in 1986 by Narayan Mitra, whose family has maintained it as a communal worship site.

What the complaint says

The complaint claims that on the night of 19 November, two brothers — Ripon Mitra and Suman Mitra — along with hired men, forcibly demolished the temple and took over the plot.

It is alleged that the temple’s idols and worship materials were dumped into the nearby Palardi River, which residents say constitutes a grave insult to their religious sentiments.

When Narayan Mitra tried to intervene, the hired men allegedly threatened him, forcing him to file the case.

Reaction and developments

Local Hindu community leaders — speaking on condition of anonymity — condemned the act as a callous assault on heritage and religious identity. They appealed to higher officials for prompt intervention to restore the temple and protect the community’s rights.

Following the complaint, police from Gournadi Model PS visited the site and acted to restrain further demolition efforts.

Then on 26 November, a court — acting on a petition by Narayan Mitra — issued a stay order over the disputed property under sections 144/145 of the legal code, pending a detailed investigation. The court asked the station’s Officer-in-Charge to submit a report on the legal status of the property and the claimants involved.

Meanwhile, Ripon and Suman Mitra have denied the allegations, claiming they inherited the land legally. They said they sold the plot earlier due to family debt arising from their mother’s illness.

Why this matters

This incident isn’t just about a piece of land or a local temple — for many residents of the area, the temple represented a living community memory spanning generations. As one community member put it: the temple “is not just bricks and mortar, but the symbol of our faith, feelings, and identity.” Those sentiments have turned what would otherwise have been a civil dispute into a flashpoint over religious respect, heritage protection, and minority security.