A Hindu temple in Air Panas, Setapak was demolished by the Kuala Lumpur city council (DBKL) yesterday morning, leaving local villagers crying foul.

According to Om Sri Maha Kaliaman Alayam temple caretaker Ravi Shankar, about 20 DBKL enforcement officers came with bulldozers to demolish the more than 60-year-old temple without any notice.

NONE DBKL officials however refuted the allegations, stressing that the building was in fact a new structure.

"We have the authority to demolish any new structures that have been built illegally, without notice," said Sadiaah Hashim, administrative assistant of the DBKL squatter division.

Ravi has since made a report against DBKL at Sentul Police Station. He said that worshippers were praying at the temple at around 9am when a team of DBKL enforcement officers moved in to demolish the structure. "We did not try to stop them. We were taken by surprise and scared."

MIC information chief, P Kamalanathan confirmed the incident and said that DBKL should have offered an alternative site before demolishing the temple.

"It should not have NONE happened. They should have consulted the local community leaders before demolishing the sacred place," he said.

Lawyer P Uthayakumar who assisted the caretaker in making the report said: "According to the principles of Article 11, the temple should not have been demolished just as people do not demolish mosques."

The Human Rights Party (HRP) have also submitted a letter to the prime minister, federal territories minister and Kuala Lumpur mayor to condemn the demolition and demanded that all Hindu temples be gazetted.