Demolition notices strike fear in Bahraich shopkeepers, many vacate

PTI Lucknow/Bahraich: Shopkeepers in Bahraich scrambled to salvage their goods on Saturday, apprehending a demolition drive by the authorities. According to a local lawmaker, the Public Works Department has served demolition notices to 23 establishments – 20 of them belonging to Muslims. The crackdown comes days after a 22-year-old Hindu man was shot dead in the Maharajganj area of the district during a communal flare-up. BJP MLA from Mahsi, Sureshwar Singh, told PTI, "People are vacating their shops. Those who don't, will be dealt with by the administration." Of the shops served notices, "three belong to Hindus, while 20 belong to Muslims," he said. "In all, there are around 50 shops.

Barring one or two, most of them on the Mahrajganj bypass may face action," he said, adding, no one will be spared whatever maybe their religion. Sonu Maurya, who runs an eatery on rent, said he was asked by his landlord to vacate the shop and take out his merchandise before it gets demolished. "I have a shop in Bhagwanpur, eight kilometres away from Maharajganj. The landlord told me that a notice of encroachment had been put on his construction and if a demolition took place, I would suffer losses," Maurya, who was on his way to Bhagwanpur, told PTI. Samiullah, Sabina, and Rani Jaiswal, all locals, claimed they were being selectively targeted.

The PWD on Friday carried out inspections in the Mahrajganj area and took measurements of 20-25 houses, including that of Abdul Hameed, one of the men accused of having a role in the killing of Ram Gopal Mishra on Sunday. An official on the condition of anonymity said it was a routine exercise conducted annually.