Bhopal, Nov 23 After a week-long high-voltage drama by BJP MLA Pradeep Patel over encroachment near a temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Mauganj, the district administration finally on Saturday demolished the boundary wall constructed on disputed land.
The boundary wall was razed using four bulldozers in the presence of Mauganj district collector Ajay Srivastava and Superintendent of Police (SP) Rasna Thakur.
The administration carried out the anti-encroachment drive following a prohibitory order issued and the entire Devra village was cornered off by more than 300 police personnel. BJP MLA Pradeep Patel was under house arrest at a guest house in Naigarhi, around 30 km from the spot.
After bulldozing the boundary wall on disputed land, Khatkari (local area police station) police put a board there. SP Rasna Thakur said the administration has taken land into its possession and entry for common people has been banned.
The administration has also issued notices to the encroachers, who had constructed homes within the disputed land, and has sought their reply by November 29, official sources told IANS.
Notably, on November 19, local BJP MLA Pradeep Patel reached the spot to remove the encroachment himself. During the commotion, there was an altercation between BJP volunteers and people from the other group, leading to stone pelting in which three people were injured.
Sensing the situation escalating further, the MLA was detained and was kept under house arrest till Thursday and when he was released, he went out and again tried to go to the spot. Police and administration took him to the rest house, where he was again kept under house arrest.
Patel continued his drama and on Friday, he locked himself and did not open the door of his room when the officials tried to reach him. However, he later allowed entry for another BJP MLA (Mangavan assembly seat) Narendra Prajapati and spoke to him.
On Saturday morning, he was shifted to a guest house in Nayigahri.
Local residents told IANS that the matter is related to around 9 acres of land and it is alleged that the land is near the temple but has been encroached upon by the locals mostly from the Muslim community. However, people from the Hindu community have also constructed homes there.
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