Bengaluru: Landowners' henchmen raze 30 huts; 10 arrested

BENGALURU: Over 30 huts in a slum at Munnekolala, near Whitefield, were razed on Thursday over a land dispute between two realtors. Ten persons were arrested and two earthmovers confiscated.
Police were on their toes once they were alerted about the eviction drive. Recently, the high court had slammed them and BBMP officials over eviction of shanties in Bellandur and Munnekolala. Those who demolished the huts there claimed the dwellers were 'illegal Bangladesh immigrants'. The high court, however, ordered rehabilitation of the displaced dwellers.
According to police, Thursday's demolition started at 10am when residents, mostly daily-wage labourers, were about to leave for work. Over 30 men barged into the hamlet, got earthmovers to pull down the shanties without giving time to residents to even salvage their belongings.
Tinu Shaikh, who is from West Bengal and has been living in Bengaluru for five years, said the men told them they were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The demolished huts were part of a shantytown spread over 20 guntas of land with hundreds of makeshift houses.
Police said realtors Naveen Reddy and Narayana Reddy claimed ownership of the land. According to Naveen Reddy's police complaint, Narayana had sent his men to demolish the huts on his land.
Officials said Naveen had rented out the huts to labourers and collected a monthly rent of Rs 2,000-3,000.
The arrested were booked case for destroying properties, rioting and trespassing.