City officials in Mumbai, formerly Bombay, have destroyed a century-old roadside cross, despite the strong opposition of the local Catholic community.

The cross was built on or around 1895 in the western Bandra neighborhood of the city.

“The religious structure is constructed on a private property,” said  Godfrey Pimenta, of the Watchdog Foundation. “The owner of the property had replied to the said notice and met Ughade wherein documentary evidence, including a Revenue Plan/Property Card, was submitted to explain the legal position of the structure,” Pimenta said, “Despite this, the ward officials demolished the structure.”

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay, called the destruction of the cross “deeply disturbing.”

“The concerned [city official] must be held respon-sible and accountable for the action, which was illegal,” Gracias told Crux.