Six hurt during anti-encroachment drive in Vijaynagar

INDORE: Six persons were injured during the anti-encroachment drive of Indore Development Authority (IDA) on Tuesday. The removal squad had gone to vacate around 10,000 square feet of land on which a temple and community hall were being built by Ahirwar Samaj in Vijaynagar.
Nearly hundreds of people gathered and protested against the removal and cops had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.While the protestors alleged that people were injured in lathi charge, cops said they sustained injuries in the chaos created by protestors.
BJP corporator Laxmi Ujjaini said IDA team reached for demolition without prior notice and people's request for some time was denied.
"When they tried to stop demolition, cops used cane and six persons, including women sustained severe injuries," said Ujjaini adding that they have given memorandum to SC/ST police station demanding action against unruly cops.
CSP Vijay Nagar KK Sharma denied any injury because of lathi charge.
"Protestors started pelting stones at the district administration officials and police due to which they had to resort to mild force to disperse the crowd. People might have fallen down in the melee and got injured," he said.
Priest of Sant Ravidas temple Narpat Singh Kanadia said then chief minister Digvijay Singh had given them the land for construction of temple and community hall by verbal orders.
"The former chief minister had directed the officials to allot us land on paper but we never received anything," he said.
IDA executive engineer JN Singh said a notice was served to them three days back for removal of encroachment but they failed to act. As on date, land belongs to IDA.