Jawahar Bagh wears a haunted look with charred trees, vehicles

AGRA: It was after more than two years that free movement was possible in Jawahar Bagh which was rocked by violence on Thursday evening.

AGRA: It was after more than two years that free movement was possible in Jawahar Bagh which was rocked by violence on Thursday evening.

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After a 72-hour search operation, the Mathura administration opened the gates of Jawahar Bagh to the media on Sunday afternoon, offering a glimpse of the destruction caused during Thursday’s violence.

The trees, otherwise laden with fruits and leaves, stood charred by the fire that spread in Jawahar Bagh on Thursday night after the police retaliated to the attack that claimed the lives of two officials. Hundreds of burnt cylinders and utensils lay in the storeroom. Food grain also bore signs of the fire.

Furniture had been destroyed. Luxury vehicles such as Safari, Innova, trucks, tractors, miniDCM and motorcycles were also there. Slippers and shoes bore testimony to the stampede that might have followed Thursday night’s violence. Clothes, bags and books which had been used by children who lived in Jawahar Bagh for over two years lay open.

Besides, there were documents with bank account details, addresses of those staying in Jawahar Bagh. Literature related to Subhas Chandra Bose was found all over the place. There were slogans about the ideology that these ‘satyagrahis’ used to practise.

Those occupying Jawahar Bagh had arranged for electricity, despite it having being disconnected by the administration, as there were solar panels and huge batteries on the spot.

The administration had blocked water supply about two months ago but they had installed submersible pumps to extract water which was stored in a makeshift tank. Here, water used to be stored and supplied through pipelines lying within.

There were damaged coolers, fans and other electrical appliances. A platform was constructed from where Rambriksh Yadav used to speak to his followers. There were remains of loudspeaker and burnt cables. Not a single hutment survived the fire. Only some pillars remained.

Jawahar Bagh was occupied by the followers of Rambriksh Yadav who too was found dead.

They had developed a closed unit with no connection to the outside world but it all to came an end on the night of June 2.