Encroachers hurl stones on civic squad in Harsul

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The municipal corporation team reached Harsul to remove encroachments from grazing land. There was immense anger among the citizens after 180 houses (Kucha constructions) were demolished on Monday. As soon as the municipal corporation started the demolition, the residents began throwing stones. In this incident, two employees of the anti-encroachment squad were injured. A case has been registered at the Harsul police station in this regard.

The common land is located in Gut Nos. 216 and 217 in Harsul. A housing project under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is planned to be developed on this land. The contractor has already been issued a work order. The task of clearing the land and handing it over to the contractor is still pending. The project will require 2.5 acres of land. However, 180 citizens had constructed homes on this encroached land.

The municipal corporation made several attempts to remove the encroachments, but the encroachers resisted. Last week, the municipal corporation officials gave the citizens a five-day notice to remove their encroachments. After the notice period, the civic anti-encroachment squad carried out the demolition on Monday, destroying 180 homes. The municipal corporation carried out this action without police protection.

On Tuesday, at around 11.30 am, the anti-encroachment squad, led by building inspector Ashwini Kothalkar, arrived in Harsul. They used a loudspeaker to request the citizens to remove their belongings and informed them that the land needed to be levelled. Suddenly, the crowd started shouting and threw stones at the team. An ex-serviceman Gajanan Chitale was injured in the head, and Rameshwar Nikam suffered an injury to his leg. Seeing the crowd approaching, the team retreated. Afterward, a case was registered against the crowd at the Harsul police station.

Stones were thrown on Monday as well

While the municipal corporation started the anti-encroachment squad in Harsul on Monday, some women had picked up stones, but they did not dare to throw them. However, before the anti-encroachment squad resumed action on Tuesday, the citizens threw stones. Notably, the municipal corporation acted on Tuesday without any police protection, just like on Monday.