Tag: civic body

Bulldozers rolled into Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on Wednesday morning to demolish illegal constructions after the North Delhi Municipal Corporation launched an anti-encroachment drive.

A few hours later, the Supreme Court halted the demolition. But it was too late. Ganesh Kumar Gupta’s juice shop had already been partially razed.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, he said that his shop had been allotted by Delhi Development Authority in 1977 and he had all the required document to prove the same.

“I told them I have all the papers. But they didn’t listen. I even said that the Supreme Court has halted the demolition one hour ago, but they did not stop,” Ganesh Kumar Gupta said.

The civic body announced the anti-encroachment drive after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said on Tuesday that those accused of violence in the communal clash in Jahangirpuri on Saturday were living in illegally constructed structures. He demanded that these be demolished.

However, when asked by India Today’s reporter, Ganesh Kumar Gupta said nobody in his family had been accused of rioting. “I’m a shopkeeper, why will they arrest me?” he said.

For recourse, he will turn to the court, he said.

THE STORY SO FAR

• A communal clash broke out between two groups in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday. Nine people were injured.
• The Delhi Police launched a probe and has held 25 adults and two juveniles in the case so far.
• Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP claimed those accused in the Jahangirpuri violence were living in illegal constructions and demanded that they be demolished.
• The North Delhi Municipal Corporation launched an anti-encroachment drive on Wednesday. The Supreme Court has halted the demolition for now and will continue hearing the matter on Thursday.

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