THENI: Members of the Arunthathiyar community and Tamil Puligal Katchi staged a protest in front of the Uthamapalayam RDO office on Monday, demanding the eviction of encroachments in front of the Pattalamman temple in the district.

The members came in a procession to the Revenue Divisional Officer’s office and staged a protest to draw the revenue officials’ attention to their plight.

They said they were unable to enter the Pattalamman temple because of stone pillars and barbed wire installed in front of the shrine.

The Pattalamman temple is located in the village of Narayana Devanpatti in Uthampalayam taluk, Theni district.

The temple is frequented by the community for generations. They had recently filed a complaint with the revenue and police to restore the path.