Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has placed a 15-day stay on the bulldozer action in Bahraich. The next hearing in the case will be held on Wednesday in the Lucknow bench of the High Court. The 23 people who were served notices have been given 15 days to submit their responses. The hearing is now scheduled for October 23, three days later.
The accused filed an application in the High Court, alleging that the Uttar Pradesh government was specifically targeting them. They claimed that the government intended to take unilateral action, disregarding the Supreme Court’s orders.
Bahraich unrest
According to the application, the government did not allow them the opportunity to present their case. The incident stems from a disturbance during the Durga idol immersion in Bahraich, where Ram Gopal Mishra was kidnapped and shot by a group of individuals. The police arrested several people in connection with this case. Meanwhile, the PWD identified 23 houses linked to the accused, issuing notices to vacate the premises within three days, citing that the houses were illegally constructed on government land. The situation escalated at the scene.
Accused seek urgent relief
The accused promptly approached the High Court, requesting an urgent hearing, arguing that their houses were at least 10 years old, with some over 70 years old. The petition was filed by Swaliha, daughter of Abdul Hamid, along with two other accused, Mohammad Akram and Mohammad Nizam. A similar petition was also submitted to the Supreme Court, which is expected to hear the case on Monday.
The PWD, in its notice, stated that Kundasar Mahsi Nanpara road is classified as a district road, and no construction is allowed within 60 feet of its center without prior approval. Despite this, the accused had carried out illegal constructions, violating the regulations. However, the accused argued that they were not given adequate time to respond to the notice.
