A joint team comprising officials from Revenue Department, Corporation and PWD demolished houses built encroaching river Noyyal in Tirupur on Thursday. Water Resources Department had served notices to families earlier.

However, the families held a series of protests demanding alternative places to settle. Therefore, Revenue Department authorities distributed patta to 21 families, out of the 36 beneficiaries at an alternative site. While many families agreed to shift, several others mounted stiff resistance to demolition. Heavy police deployment convinced the protesters.