The state government had initially released a directive to the idol installation committees to strictly follow the norms and ensure the size is within 10 feet. However, on Sunday late evening, the revenue officials received information that an idol measuring around 18 feet was installed at Kamandi village on the Thuraiyur-Perambalur road.

Soon, a team of officials headed by the Thuraiyur Tahsildar, accompanied by police, rushed to the spot and removed the idol with the support of a large crane. However, the organisers who opposed it argued with the officials. But still, the officials went on with the process of removing it.

The organisers said that the idol makers in Tamil Nadu stick to the government-permitted size of 10 feet, and so they went to the other state and purchased the 18-foot idol, which cost more than Rs one lakh.

Meanwhile, the officials were also alerted that there were five such idols installed in and around Thuraiyur and so they went in to inspect the idols. The officials said that they would remove the idols installed in violation of the norms.

On Monday, during the Vinayagar Chathurthi festival, as many as 1,165 idols, including 233 in the urban areas were installed in Tiruchy district, and they were scheduled to be immersed on September 16 and the traffic was diverted on September 16 and 17 in Tiruchy City.