25 houses in a Muslim neighborhood in Delhi’s Kharak Riwara Satbari region, were reportedly razed by the Delhi Development Authority and Delhi police.
According to a fact-finding team, the residents had gone to offer Friday prayers while the demolitions took place, Muslim Mirror reported.
“In order to force the issue, the Delhi Police resorted to lathi charging injuring several people including women, and male policemen shamelessly manhandled the protesting women residents. The residents of the demolished houses were not even given time to rescue their household goods. The DDA officers have threatened to come back with bulldozers after Diwali and demolish more houses,” the fact-finding team said in a statement.
The team was made up of activists from various rights organizations, including Akash Bhattacharya from the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Anuradha from the All India Lawyers for Justice (AILAJ), Naushad Ahmed Raza from the All India Student Association (AISA), and Suman Ghosh from the All India Progressive Women Association (AIPWA).
“The team noted that Delhi Police resorted to lathi charge injuring several people including women, & male policemen shamelessly manhandled the protesting women residents. The residents of the demolished houses were not even given time to rescue their household goods,” N Sai Balaji, the national president of AISA said.
According to reports, the police officers warned the locals that they would be subject to punishment similar to what Muslims in Uttar Pradesh had to endure.
Notably, MLA Kartar Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) did not speak up on behalf of the locals.
Meanwhile, CPI-ML (Liberation), has condemned the demolition and the police action.
“CPI-ML (Liberation) condemns the DDA’s refusal to serve any prior notice and thereby gives the residents a chance to approach the court and seek a stay. We also condemn the brutal police action,” the party said.
The party also demanded that “there should be no further demolition without prior notice, due compensation should be given to the victims of this sudden demolition, and the guilty policemen should be punished.”