PUNALUR: The shankhu mudra arch with the royal insignia of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom in Tamil Nadu’s Sengottai was demolished on Thursday as part of renovation works. The British era arch, said to be over a century old, was constructed using red bricks and Surkhi powder.

With the threat of collapse looming over the years, the Sengottai corporation decided to demolish the arch amid tight security on Thursday. The corporation even allowed Rs 33 lakh for the reconstruction of the arch, with the idea of keeping intact the Travancore royal insignia.

The arch was posing a threat to commuters, and it was only recently that a truck crashed into the relic, further deteriorating its condition. The arch was located near the Sengottai police station. In the olden days, Sengottai taluk was par

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