Authorities in Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh, plan to demolish more than 300 homes belonging to the Muslim community after allegations of cow slaughter. Reports suggest that these demolitions could happen before Holi on March 14.
The issue began in the Qasai Mandi area, where officials claimed that several homes were illegally built. On March 7, after accusations of cow slaughter in the Sitabawli area, several buildings were already torn down.
Under pressure from Hindu extremist groups, local authorities intensified their actions. These groups protested and demanded strict punishment for those accused.
Pradeep Sharma, Chief Officer of the Municipal Council, said, “We have removed illegal structures worth crores of rupees. These buildings belonged to people accused of cow slaughter.”
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) R.L. Bagri confirmed the demolitions will continue. “More illegal structures have been identified and will be removed after issuing notices,” he said.
According to the police, Hindu groups informed them about cow slaughter early Friday morning. When these groups arrived at the scene, they claimed they were shot at.
Damoh Superintendent of Police (SP) Sharad Kirti Somvanshi said, “We have arrested five people for cow slaughter.”
However, before presenting the accused in court, the police paraded them publicly and forced them to chant slogans like: “The cow is our mother, cow slaughter is a crime, the police are our father.”
Reports also say that when the accused were brought to court, some lawyers physically assaulted them.
The demolition plan comes despite Supreme Court guidelines stating that no home can be demolished without proper legal notice. In November 2023, the Court ordered that authorities must give at least 15 days’ notice before any demolition.
Earlier in Ujjain, a similar incident occurred where two Muslim men accused of cow slaughter were paraded, beaten, and forced to chant religious slogans.
Residents of the targeted homes are distressed. A local resident said, “This is our ancestral land. Where will we go? Can they demolish our homes just because of an allegation?”
