The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Saturday sealed and demolished portions of 70 shops in a drive against alleged encroachments in Uttam Nagar, days after a man died following a clash in the area during Holi celebrations.
Tarun Bhutolia was severely injured in a clash on March 4 that began after a water balloon accidentally thrown by an 11-year-old girl from the third floor of a building fell on a Muslim woman standing below. The incident had led to an argument between the two neighbouring families from different religious communities.
The 26-year-old man had succumbed to his injuries the next day.
Bhutolia’s killing had sparked tensions in the area. Several vehicles were damaged and some were set on fire during protests by residents, following which police and paramilitary personnel were deployed.
On Saturday, the municipal authority said that the demolition drive had been undertaken to remove what it stated were unauthorised platforms, stairs and temporary sheds in front of the shops to “ensure smoother pedestrian movement and better traffic flow”.
The drive targeted a row of eateries next to the Uttam Nagar police station, a few hundred metres from Bhutolia’s house, The Hindu reported. The lane serves as the entry point to the Hastsal locality of Uttam Nagar.
Deputy Commissioner Colonel Vinod Atri told the newspaper that no permanent structures were demolished.
The action came days after the municipal corporation on March 8 demolished allegedly illegal portions of a property linked to a person accused in Bhutolia’s death.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court restrained the municipal body from demolitions for a week of houses belonging to persons allegedly involved in the clash, The Hindu reported.
There are no provisions in Indian law that allow for the demolition of property as a punitive measure. However, the practice has become commonplace in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In November 2024, the Supreme Court held as illegal the practice of demolishing properties of persons accused of crimes as a punitive measure.
Also watch: How a clash between two families on Holi in Delhi became a larger flashpoint
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