A 20-foot Jesus statue has been destroyed by authorities in India's southern state of Karnataka which had been standing in the village for 18 years.

It is claimed that the statue was built on land earmarked by the government for an animal pasture.

The statue sits next to St. Francis Xavier's Church in Gokunte village and Bengaluru.

Archbishop Peter Machado condemned the statue's demolition, stating that the church possessed ownership documents for the land where the statue sat.

The Karnataka High Court had ordered the destruction, but local Christian leaders said the case was still pending.

In a Statement Archbishop Dr Peter said: "It is sad to note that yet another ruthless demolition of a Christian Structure, which included a 20- feet Statue of Jesus and 14 Stations of Cross was carried out by the taluka authorities in a Christian Village, Gokunte, in Kolar (65 km from Bangalore), a District of Karnataka touching the border of Andhra. 

"Though the Church has documents of the two acres of the land where these structures were located, the local authorities considered them as not proper or incomplete. 

"The matter is still being heard in the Courts. In fact, the trial court had issued a stay order on the demolition, prior to the High Court's directives.

"It was heart-breaking to see hundreds of people shedding their tears."