The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday put on hold the demolition drive in Nuh district’s Mewat in Haryana in the wake of communal clashes in the area.
Authorities in the Nuh district bulldozed a three-storey hotel while continuing its action against “illegal” construction for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday.
Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata asked officials concerned to stop the bulldozer action following the high court ruling. The court has taken up the matter suo motu a week after communal clashes in Haryana claimed six lives, led to a huge loss of property and sparked panic in Nuh and Gurugram.
The demolition drive had come under criticism, with politicians alleging that it targeted Muslims. Also, many of those whose homes were razed had claimed that they were served no prior notice. The local administration had, however, said they were taking action against illegal constructions and encroachment and no individual was being targeted, NDTV reported.
Over 350 shanties and 50 cement structures, medical stores and other shops, have been demolished in the past four days.
Also Read: Over 250 ‘illegal’ shanties bulldozed in Haryana’s Nuh after communal violence
On Friday, several houses were torn down in Nalhar which were along the route on which the VHP procession was attacked earlier this week. And, on Thursday, the Haryana government razed shanties of migrants living in Tauru, located 20 km away from violence-hit Nuh, for encroaching on government land.
Nuh violence
A group of people threw stones at a rally being taken out by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal workers near Nand village in Nuh district.
Also Read: Haryana violence: Ensure no hate speech at VHP, Bajrang Dal rallies, SC directs states
Vehicles were torched and stones were thrown as clashes broke out over reports of cow vigilante and Bhiwani deaths case accused Monu Manesar of visiting Mewat.
Following the clashes, Section 144 was clamped in Nuh and Gurugram districts and internet was also shut down.