Among the demolished structures was the house of a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan and his wife. The jawan was reportedly on duty at the time of the operation, while his wife was present at home. According to her, the couple has been living in the area since 2006 and does not have a house in their village. “We have nowhere else to go,” she said, standing amid the debris.
The demolition drive began in the morning, with JCB machines flattening homes one after another. Visuals from the site showed women breaking down in tears and questioning authorities about rehabilitation. Children were also seen sitting beside scattered household items and schoolbooks salvaged from the rubble.
Several residents said they had migrated to Bijapur due to persistent Naxal violence in their villages. Ganga Madvi, one of the affected residents, said her family had been living in Chattanpara for the past four years after fleeing their village. “If we go back, the Naxals will kill us. We built these houses after speaking to officials and even paid local taxes,” she said.
Madvi added that residents had received eviction notices nearly three months ago and the matter was pending in court. “We were assured the houses would not be demolished until the case was decided. Despite that, the action was taken suddenly,” she alleged.
Children were among the worst affected. One young girl told reporters she could not go to school as her house was demolished early in the morning. “Food was being cooked at home, but we couldn’t even eat,” she said.
Bijapur Municipal Council Chief Municipal Officer B.L. Nureti confirmed the action, stating that 55 houses behind the New Bus Stand were identified as encroachments. He added that demolition would continue, with around 20 more houses in the Shanti Nagar area also slated for removal.
Residents alleged that during and after the demolition, no arrangements were made for drinking water, food or temporary shelter by the administration. By nightfall, families, including women, children and elderly people, were seen huddled under plastic sheets to protect themselves from the cold.
The incident has raised concerns over the lack of rehabilitation measures for displaced families, particularly those who claim to have fled conflict-hit areas and lived in the settlement for years. No official statement has yet been issued regarding alternative accommodation or relief for the affected families.
