SMC demolishes church in corporation land

Surat, Nov 4 (UNI) In a drive against illegal religious shrines, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) today demolished a building that was functioning as a church.

According to sources, a SMC team, acting on the instruction of a Deputy Commissioner, demolished the structure, belonging to Church of North India (CNI), which was built illegally on the civic land.

A senior SMC official said the demolition took place because the church was operating ''illegally'' on SMC land.

Earlier, a group of Hindu organisations had submitted a memorandum to SMC Mayor Kanubhai Mavani that the church was operating ''illegally'' in SMC area, the sources said.

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