Indian Authorities Demolish 86 Muslim Homes with Bulldozers
An anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Nainital district administration and the Uttarakhand Forest Department on Saturday resulted in the demolition of 86 permanent houses in Puchhdi village, located in the Ramnagar area. Authorities launched the operation early in the morning using heavy machinery, including bulldozers and JCBs, to reclaim roughly 14 hectares of government-owned reserved forest land situated along the banks of the Kosi River. The drive rendered numerous families homeless overnight, forcing residents to frantically salvage their household belongings from the debris as the winter season approaches.
The execution of the drive was supported by an extensive security apparatus, with over 1,200 police and forest personnel deployed across the site to maintain order. The area was divided into multiple security zones and sectors, featuring barricaded access roads, anti-riot teams, tear gas units, fire services, and medical teams on standby. Tarai West Forest Division DFO Puneet Kumar Tomar stated that notices were initially issued to 92 individuals, explaining that court cases regarding 9 structures were pending, so they were excluded from the drive. Officials subsequently proceeded with the planned action, bringing the total count of demolished permanent homes to 86.
Prior to the heavy machinery arriving on Saturday morning, officials noted that all legal procedures had been completed and residents had been informed in advance, leading several homeowners to begin dismantling parts of their own structures the night before. However, the emotional distress of losing their homes led to sudden health emergencies among some residents. During the operation, a resident named Shamshad and two female family members, Momina and Fatema, fell ill and were rushed to a government hospital, where attending doctors reported that the condition of the two women deteriorated due to abnormally high blood pressure.
This operation follows a previous eviction drive conducted by the forest department on December 7, 2025, during which 51 houses and huts were cleared to reclaim approximately two acres of land belonging to the Ramnagar Municipal Council’s trenching ground. Alongside the physical clearings, the forest department has registered a formal case against an alleged land dealer named Taher Mulla on charges of illegally encroaching upon forest property and fraudulently selling it to ordinary citizens. Law enforcement agencies are currently actively searching for Mulla to execute an arrest in connection with the illegal sales.
The sudden loss of shelter has left the affected families facing severe uncertainty, with displaced residents expressing deep concern over finding immediate shelter for their children and families amid dropping seasonal temperatures. While reports mentioned allegations that the settlement had previously received political patronage under the tenure of the previous Congress government, these claims remain unverified by administrative officials. For now, the local administration maintains that the drive was a necessary legal action to clear long-standing illegal encroachments from protected environmental land.
