Demolition of a reinforced cement concrete mandapam in front of the rajagopuram of the Mariamman temple at Samayapuram near Tiruchi began on Wednesday. 

The demolition work is being executed in the presence of Revenue, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Police, Health, Fire and Rescue Services and Public Works department officials besides those from the Town Panchayat. Police sources said the work began in the morning. 

The work of demolishing the long structure would take about 15 days. The district administration has advised the general public residing nearby and devotees to desist from going near the damaged mandapam keeping in mind their own safety in view of the demolition work.

The demolition of the mandapam on the Sannithi veethi at Samayapuram comes in the wake of a tragic incident wherein a 32-year-old woman died and two other devotees, including a girl, were injured after a patch of reinforced cement concrete from the ceiling fell on them when they were fast asleep in the mandapam.

The incident occurred in the early hours on March 29 with the Samayapuram police registering a case then.  The shopkeepers who had put up a row of stalls inside the mandapam were asked to vacate following the incident and devotees were barred from proceeding through it to the temple. A caution board was kept at the entrance of the mandapam.