In a major operation that began in the wee hours of Wednesday, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, under police protection, bulldozed illegal huts and constructions by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, who were staying at Chandola Lake area of Ahmedabad for the last several years.
In what is seen as an aftermath of Pahalgam attack, the Gujarat Police had cracked down on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara. More than 1,000 were arrested on April 26. Harsh Sanghavi, minister of state for home, had described the operation as the biggest till date in which illegally residing citizens were shown ‘red eye’ by the police.
The AMC staff, along with officers, was at the site from the wee hours of Wednesday for the demolition. Sharad Singhal, joint commissioner of police (crime), told reporters that over 2,000 policemen were deployed. The AMC was armed with over 50 JCBs to demolish the structures. The authorities also deployed over 200 trucks to swiftly carry away debris of the demolished structures.
He said the action was initiated after the AMC had surveyed the illegal properties. The police bandobast, he said, was to ensure that there is no law and order problem.
The Gujarat High Court rejected a petition by 18 Indian nationals. They had demanded stay against the demolition. On behalf of the applicants, their lawyer Anand Yagnik said submitted that they should have been given a 15-day notice. According to him, these people have been staying at this place for the last 50 years.
G. S. Malik, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner, said that 20 companies of SRP have been deployed. The Ahmedabad Police is also on alert and strict action will be taken if any untoward incident occurs, he said, during his visit to Siyasatnagar at Chandola Lake where the demolition was carried out.
While a large number of illegal structures were demolished, the biggest strike by the authorities was on the farm house of one Mehmud Pathan alias Lalla Bihari. The sprawling farm house, built near the Chandola Lake, was razed and several documents were recovered.
Malik said that Bihari used to forge rent agreements and this in turn was useful for the illegal immigrants to get fake documents. He also ran a network of 200 autorickshaws.
The police commissioner said that an FIR has been filed against Bihari and his accomplices. He and his son have been detained for interrogation.
Bihari also allegedly owns 50 cars. He also took money to facilitate two-wheeler parking in the area.
A godown of country liquor was also found from Chandola Lake area after the demolition.
