New Delhi:

Hearing a challenge to demolition notices served in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich after a communal clash, the Supreme Court today indirectly warned the Yogi Adityanath government against any bulldozer action. The court said it is the state government’s “choice” if it wants to risk violating the top court’s directions. The court, however, noted that its orders in the ‘bulldozer justice’ case specify that it will not intervene if the structures facing demolition are illegal.

The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan has asked the Uttar Pradesh government not to take any action before the next hearing tomorrow.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate CU Singh told the bench that local authorities issued demolition notices after the October 13 violence — which claimed one life — and asked them to respond within three days.

“Applicant No.1’s father and brothers surrendered… notices purportedly issued on 17 Oct, but pasted on 18th evening… we sought hearing on Sunday, but that did not happen. Some have approached HC,” Mr Singh said.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court extended to 15 days the deadline to file replies to the demolition notices and directed the state authorities to decide after considering the responses. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, assured the court that no action would be taken till tomorrow.

“If they (UP authorities) want to take the risk of flouting our order, it’s their choice,” Justice Gavai said today. Justice Viswanathan added that the high court had given 15 days to file replies to the demolition notices. Mr Singh, however, said the petitioners have not been granted any protection. 

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a bunch of petitions against ‘bulldozer justice’ – a term used to refer to the practice of razing the property of individuals accused in criminal cases. The trend has caught on in several states, Uttar Pradesh among them. The court has clarified that being accused of a crime cannot be the basis for the demolition of property and only violation of civic rules may attract such action. The court has also paused demolitions carried out without its permission.

What Happened In Bahraich

On October 13, an altercation broke out in Bahraich’s Maharajganj when a group of people objected to loud music near a mosque during a procession for Durga Puja idol immersion. This snowballed into arson and vandalism in the area, forcing the local administration to snap Internet connectivity. Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, was shot dead during the clash. A video that circulated after the clash showed Mishra removing a green flag from a rooftop and replacing it with a saffron flag.

Police have arrested five persons suspected to be involved in Mishra’s death — Mohammad Faheen, Mohammad Sarfaraz, Abdul Hameed, Mohammad Taleem alias Sabloo, and Mohammad Afzal. Mohammad Talim and Mohammad Sarfaraz were arrested after they suffered gunshots in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police. Police said the accused were trying to cross into Nepal when they were caught.

A total of 104 people have been arrested in connection with the violence and 23 establishments have been served demolition notices. Among those who were served notices is Hameed, one of the accused in the killing. Authorities, however, claim the notices were issued as part of a routine anti-encroachment drive. The notices have sparked panic among local residents as shopkeepers were seen vacating their premises. 

Farrukhabad (UP):

Upset over bulldozer action in their village, two revenue officers were on Monday beaten up by the villagers in the presence of the police.

Taking note of the incident, Lekpal Sangh, a union of revenue officers, has staged a dharna at Nawabganj Police Station demanding the registration of an FIR against the people involved in the attack.

The incident took place in Ukhra village, where a team of district administration on Saturday razed several structures built on government land using bulldozers.

On Monday, when some BJP leaders reached the village and were talking to the people with Circle officer Arun Kumar, SHO Balraj Bhati, some of the villagers became violent and attacked Lekhpals (revenue officers) Rudra Pratap Singh and Saurabh Pandey.

The police somehow dispersed the mob and controlled the situation.

District President of Lekhpal Sangh, Ajit Dwivedi said his colleagues were brutally beaten up and their records were snatched.

“They are injured. The Lekhpal Sangh will protest at the police station until a case is registered and the accused are arrested,” he said.

On Saturday evening, four bulldozers were used to demolish the structures on a barren land encroached upon for years in the village, the officials said.

Sadar Tehsildar Shraddha Pandey had said about one-and-a-half hectares of land has been acquired with the consent of the village society for the green energy corridor.

“The government land was illegally occupied by some people. It is being freed from encroachments. All illegal constructions will be razed,” she had said.

Sharing a 17-second video on X in which bulldozers could be seen in action, SP chief Yadav had said, “This is the ugly face of BJP politics full of revenge. BJP gets happiness in demolishing settled houses. Those who have not settled their own houses, I don’t know what revenge they take for by demolishing the houses of others. With every falling house, BJP also falls even lower.”

He further wrote, “For Amritkaal’s information: Today, in village Ukhra of Amritpur assembly constituency of Farrukhabad Lok Sabha (constituency), by running bulldozers on the houses of 25 poor families settled for years, who knows how many old people, sick people were rendered homeless in the rains. This is the height of political cruelty.” While hearing a batch of pleas against bulldozer actions in various states, the Supreme Court on September 17 passed an interim order that no demolition of properties should take place in the country without its permission.

The top court had, however, clarified that the order is not applicable to encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, or other public spaces. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court today issued a contempt notice to the Assam government following a petition filed by 47 residents accusing the state of violating the top court’s order that no demolitions should be carried out without the court’s approval.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan ordered the state to respond within three weeks and directed that a status quo be maintained until the next hearing.

The petitioners claim their homes were demolished by the authorities despite the Supreme Court’s previous order, as well as an assurance from the Assam Advocate General to the Gauhati High Court on September 20 that no action would be taken against them until their petitions were resolved.

The case revolves around the bulldozer action on 47 households in Kachutoli Pathar village and surrounding areas in Assam’s Kamrup district. The petitioners argue that they have lived there for decades under agreements with the original landholders. They contest the state’s classification of them as “illegal occupants” of tribal land, contending that they have not violated any legal provisions and that their occupation was legitimate under existing agreements.

The petition alleges that authorities violated legal protocols, including the requirement to issue an eviction notice with a one-month period for occupants to vacate. Additionally, it argues that the demolitions were carried out without giving the residents a fair hearing and depriving them of their homes and livelihoods which is a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and the right to life and personal liberty.

The Supreme Court’s September 17 order prohibited demolitions across the country without prior judicial approval, except in cases involving encroachments on public roads, footpaths, railway lines, or water bodies. Despite this, Assam authorities allegedly marked the petitioners’ homes for demolition without notice, leading to the present contempt petition.

Kannauj:

A barber here was arrested a day after a video of him applying his spit on a customer’s face made rounds on social media, police said on Thursday.

The barber’s makeshift shop was bulldozed by the local administration.

Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Anand said, “We received a report regarding a video in which a barber, Yusuf, was seen applying his spit on the face of a customer. Acting on the complaint we arrested him on Wednesday night.” According to the police, the incident occurred a fortnight ago but the video was posted online recently and it began doing rounds on Wednesday.

“The accused is seen applying some cream on the face of the customer in the video. While doing so he stops, spits in his palms and applies it on the customer’s face,” Circle Officer Kapoor Kumar said.

The local administration on Thursday reached the spot and bulldozed the makeshift salon.

“The salon was made using tin sheets and was an encroachment. It was removed with a bulldozer today,” the CO said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)