TIRUCHY: Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) officials retrieved six acres of land belonging to two temples from the encroachers in Orathanadu on Monday.

It is said, a 6.13 acres of land owned by Navaneeda Krishnaswamy temple (Bhajanai Madam) at Mandalakottai near Orathanadu and Kalitheertha Ayyanar Temple in the same locality were encroached by a few persons for the past few years.

Based on the orders by the HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu, the Assistant Commissioner (HR&CE) Kavitha conducted a survey with the support of the revenue department and found that the particular piece of land was encroached by a few persons. Subsequently, the officials initiated legal proceedings and retrieved the land with the court direction. On Monday, a team of officials led by Kavitha visited the spot and displayed the board mentioning the land ownership.

The retrieved land was said to be cultivable land worth Rs 13.79 lakh. It would soon be auctioned for lease, the officials said.