Faridabad resumes demolitions in Khori village after a day’s halt

The police said that the demolition process remained peaceful. Around 2,000 police personnel were deployed in Khori village on Sunday.

Published on: Jul 19, 2021, 06:04:53 IST

By Leena Dhankhar, Hindustan Times, Faridabad

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Faridabad authorities resumed the ongoing demolition drive in Khori village, which was suspended on Saturday, a day after Indian authorities replied to the United Nations Human Rights Council over a statement released by its six special rapporteurs that called for the drive to be halted.

A woman loiters near the debris of her house after local authorities razed a settlement that was said to be in a forest land in Khori village at Faridabad. (AFP)

Last month, the Supreme Court directed the Haryana government and the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad to remove “all encroachments”, consisting of around 10,000 residential units, in the Aravalli forest area, saying “land grabbers cannot take refuge in the rule of law” and talk of “fairness”.

On Friday, experts from the United Nations Human Rights Council called on India to halt the eviction of around 100,000 people, including 20,000 children, from Khori village in Faridabad, which began last Wednesday, and said “it is particularly important residents be kept safe during the pandemic”.

In response, the Permanent Mission of India to the Office of the United Nations issued a statement on Saturday, saying, “It is unfortunate that the special rapporteurs have chosen to issue a press release just two days after sending a joint communication to this Mission and not waiting for a response.”

The police said that the demolition process remained peaceful. Around 2,000 police personnel were deployed in Khori village on Sunday.

Garima Mittal, the commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad, said the demolition drive was recorded through drone cameras.

The deputy commissioner of Faridabad, Yashpal Yadav, said, “We have started full-scale demolition and we are implementing the Supreme Court orders in letter and spirit. All structures will be demolished as per the orders and not just those that have been vacated. The drive is being conducted peacefully and we have not faced any challenge so far, except people not cooperating.”

Meanwhile, social activists and residents alleged that situation has worsened in Khori village and that there has been no let-up in the demolitions even after the United Nations’ experts urged an immediate halt.

“On Sunday, demolitions started from the Durga temple side, and the number of police deployed there is much higher than what we had seen until now. They have encircled Khori Gaon from all sides and are restricting movement in and out. Volunteers and residents from Khori who have been distributing food are now stuck in this police blockade. They are not being allowed to leave,” said Neelesh Kumar, a social activist with Basti Suraksha Manch.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More