₹25 cr encroachment on GMDA land in Kadarpur cleared by police, civic teams

Police said a history-sheeter had built around 50 structures and collected up to ₹5 lakh monthly rent; he is out on bail, with over 18 criminal cases.

Illegal construction and encroachment worth at least ₹25 crore on around half an acre of government land in Kadarpur village, Sector 63, were demolished by police with the help of civic agencies on Monday, officials said.

Action followed a crackdown on gang networks; crime branch traced the illegal settlement and alerted senior officials for joint demolition drive. (HT)

Police said the land, owned by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, had been illegally occupied for several years by a notorious criminal from Kadarpur village. He had allegedly developed a slum on the plot by constructing around 50 temporary and permanent dwellings and was collecting monthly rent of up to ₹5 lakh from occupants, many of whom were also running small shops and a market, officers said. He is currently out on bail, they added.

Sandeep Turan, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said, “It is worth at least ₹25 crore. The suspect who had captured the plot was accused in more than 18 cases of kidnapping, extortion, assault, snatching and several other heinous nature cases.”

He said the encroachment came to light during a crackdown on gangsters aimed at disrupting their financial networks. “During the inquiry, the crime branch got to know that the slum on the said plot was created by the criminal from whom he was collecting heavy rentals from the squatters,” Turan said.

Crime branch officials said senior officers were alerted, following which a joint team of GMDA and the enforcement wing of the district town planner carried out the demolition drive.

Officials added that at least five major land parcels belonging to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram and GMDA, worth several crores, have been freed from encroachment in the past week.