At least 25 people, including police personnel, were injured after slum dwellers in Jai Bhim Nagar, Powai village, pelted stones at officials from the anti-encroachment department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during a demolition drive on Thursday morning. The police had to resort to a lathi charge to bring the situation under control.
Earlier, on June 1, the BMC had issued eviction notices under Section 488 to around 500 Labour huts in Jai Bhim Nagar, Powai. The labour huts were constructed on government land for temporary purposes, and the State Human Right Commission directed the removal of the illegal structures. However, slum dwellers claimed they had been living there with their families for the past 25 years and were demanding the legalization of their slum.
According to the BMC notice, the eviction process was scheduled to begin at 10:30 AM on June 6. The civic body also warned residents to vacate the premises within 48 hours of receiving the notice. Instead of vacating, women from the slum created a ruckus when officials from the S ward arrived with machinery for demolition. Subsequently, stones were thrown at BMC officials and police. According to civic officials, 5 BMC officials and 15 police personnel and 5 labourers were injured in the stone-pelting incident. The police then resorted to a lathi charge to control the situation.
A hearing was conducted at the State Human Rights Commission, which directed the removal of illegal structures from plot numbers 6A and 6A/1 in Powai Village and plot numbers 20 and 22 in Tirandaj Gaon on May 8. However, the eviction was postponed due to the Lok Sabha election. The civic body reissued the notice on June 1, instructing residents to vacate the premises within 48 hours of receiving the notice.
Later, civic chief and administrator Bhushan Gagarni and Additional Commissioner of Police visited the spot. Civic chief Gagrani cleared that the eviction process will be continued as per the law. He also warned that attack on civic employees will not be tolerated.