Tension prevails in the tourist town of Bagalkote in central Karnataka after the district administration evicted Jain saints from the historic Bhadragiri Hills.

The Bagalkote district administration had contended that Jain institutions had encroached upon government land atop the Bhadragiri Hills, which are considered pilgrimage centre for the Jains.

Three days ago, it demolished the structures put up by the saints and evicted them. Since the last three days, Jains in Bagalkote, Dharwad and Koppala have been staging protests condemning the government's actions.

"Bhadragiri Hills are our pilgrimage centre, as our saints have settled atop them since the 4th century. There is historical evidence to support this and our negotiations with the government over possession of the land were on. They cannot take a one-sided decision overnight and evict our revered saints," said North Karnataka Jain Maha Sangha Secretary B A Patil said.

The Jain organisations cross North Karnataka have called for a bundh on Sunday.