Bulldozers run on shrines and shops in Chhattisgarh

Bhilai | correspondent: In Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, the Municipal Corporation carried out a large-scale demolition on Monday, targeting illegal encroachments made in the name of a mosque. The operation saw the removal of unauthorized structures, including a shrine, shops, a marriage hall, and a 40-foot-high gate. Several nearby houses, shops, and fish farms were also demolished as part of the action.

The operation began early in the morning around 5 a.m., with a team of officials including the ADM, SDM, Tehsildar, and over 100 police personnel from multiple stations. Acting on a High Court order to clear the area, the administration demolished all encroachments except for the mosque itself and a nearby shrine. Debris removal is currently underway.

Within the mosque compound, a room for the Maulvi and a few living quarters were left untouched. However, local residents complained that the corporation provided no prior notice before demolishing their homes, sparking heated confrontations between the affected people and corporation officials.

Municipal authorities defended their actions, stating that all non-religious encroachments were targeted. They emphasized that notices had been issued previously, but as no action was taken to remove the illegal structures, the demolition was carried out. The Karbala Committee, which oversees the mosque, opposed the move, arguing that their occupation of the land was legitimate.

According to officials, the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) had allotted 500–800 square feet of land to the Karbala Committee in 1984 for the construction of the mosque along Raipur-Bhilai GE Road. However, it was alleged that the committee had expanded illegally, occupying two and a half acres of land, where shops, shrines, a marriage hall, and a large gate were constructed under the name Sailani Darbar.

A petition was filed in the High Court regarding these encroachments, leading to an order directing the Durg Collector to resolve the matter within 120 days. Three days prior to the demolition, a notice was issued by the Corporation Commissioner, instructing the occupants to vacate the area.

As the encroachments were not removed voluntarily, the demolition proceeded. The illegal structures, including shops, houses, and shrines, had been standing on the land for many years. The operation, considered the largest of its kind in Bhilai to date, utilized 10 JCBs, 30 dumpers, and 2 chain mounters.

Gulab Nabi, the secretary of the Karbala Committee, strongly opposed the demolition, asserting that the Muslim community had been occupying the land since 1957, a fact recognized by the court. He stated that SADA had granted the community 72 decimals of land in writing and that they had been using the space for weddings and other activities for 25 years.

He questioned the removal of the shops and welcome gate, claiming that these structures were built adjacent to the corporation’s property and should have been stopped earlier if illegal. He also condemned the demolition of the Imambara, which he claimed was constructed on legally allotted land.

Bhilai Municipal Corporation’s Additional Commissioner, Ashok Dwivedi, clarified that the demolished structures were encroachments on municipal land, totaling around 7–8 acres. He stated that the illegal occupants had been given notice but failed to comply, which led to the action being taken.

He also emphasized that this was a sensitive area, and any such operation required clearance from higher authorities. Dwivedi reiterated that all non-religious encroachments would be removed as part of the ongoing process.