The Udaipur Municipal Corporation in a joint operation with the Forest Department on Saturday demolished the house of a 15-year-old boy, identified as Ayan Sheikh, who allegedly stabbed his classmate, Devraj Mochi. The assault triggered communal violence on Friday, following which, the district administration suspended internet access for a day.
According to the Udaipur Inspector General Ajay Lamba, the owner was not able to provide any documents of ownership, following which, the house was demolished.
The boy and his father are in police custody. “Action will be taken in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act,” he added.
In a video that came to light after the demolition, Rashid Khan, claiming to be the landlord, said that four more families were all asked to leave.
“The family of the boy is currently staying in one of their relative’s houses. Why are the authorities demolishing my house? I went to the municipal corporation but everyone is on holiday. I also went to the police station but they refused to stop my house’s demolition,” he said.
Calling the demolition unfair he added, “This is injustice, without any fault of mine, I have lost my house.”
The notice sent to the family on Saturday morning gave the family three days to vacate the house, but the demolition was started at noon by the Forest Department and Udaipur Municipal Corporation.
Udaipur Collector Arvind Poswal confirmed that the condition of the boy who was stabbed is stable.
Right-wing groups gathered around the city’s madhuban neighborhood following the alleged assault, set fire to three vehicles, raised incendiary slogans and threw stones ransacking public property.
Over the past years, there has been a surge in demolitions carried out by authorities in states ruled by the BJP. The Muslims, mostly are adversely affected by these demolitions when accused of a crime.
Madhya Pradesh, since 2020 is reportedly carrying out demolitions alleging that they were ’illegally constructed properties of habitual offenders’.
