Illegal slums rented out by two history-sheeters razed in Gurugram Sector 53

Investigators said the accused used the land to rent out slums to low-income groups, which were later used for other illegal activities.

The police on Saturday razed ‘illegal’ slums, comprising 450 huts and boundary walls, in Saraswati Kunj in Sector 53, allegedly raised by two history-sheeters – named in at least 21 criminal cases over the past nine years – on government land, officials said.

A list of such encroachments by hardened criminals, who acquire property through illegal means and use it commit crimes, has been prepared, police said.

The accused, identified as Sahil alias Chunnu, and Anshul alias Munnu — both residents of Wazirabad — had settled an unauthorised slum on the land belonging to the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), according to officials.

Investigators said the accused used the land to rent out slums to low-income groups, which were later used for other illegal activities. Sandeep Turan, spokesperson for Gurugram police, said, “Teams from the Department of Country and Town Planning (DTP) and HSVP assisted the police in demolishing the illegal structures during the anti-encroachment drive.”

A list of such encroachments by hardened criminals, who acquire property through illegal means and use it commit crimes, has been prepared, he added.

According to Turan, Sahil and Anshul have been involved in several thefts and imprisoned several times. “Sahil has 14 criminal cases registered against him at various police stations, including fifteen related to theft, five for house trespassing and the one for receiving stolen property. Anshul has seven cases, including six related to thefts.”

The action comes weeks after another such illegally built structure raised by another history-sheeter on a three-bigha government land in Sector-37 was demolished on February 5.

Officials said at least five such anti-encroachment drives against history-sheeters and criminals have been conducted in the district since December last year. Earlier, on January 20, authorities demolished approximately 100 illegal makeshift huts constructed on HSVP land in Sector 44 after receiving complaints about narcotics trafficking in the vicinity.