By Manish Sahu
In the Bahraich neighbourhood that witnessed communal violence on October 13, the threat of bulldozers looms large.
Days after the violence, 23 residents of Maharajganj village received a demolition notice from the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD), asking that “illegal constructions” on the Kundasar-Mahasi-Nanpara road, classified as a major district road (MDR), be removed.
Among those in the crosshairs is Azizur Rehman (58), whose 22-year-old son was arrested on October 14 in connection with the violence. On October 18, the notice was posted outside the wooden door of his single-storey house and cosmetics shop.
The notice, which he claims incorrectly names him as Shamshuddin, said he had three days to remove the constructions, failing which the structures would be demolished.
On Wednesday, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, where the demolitions were challenged, posted the case for hearing on November 4. This came after the Supreme Court, which is also hearing the case, stayed the demolition for a day.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.
