Kolkata, May 25 -- Fresh tension spread across Beliaghata on Monday morning as angry residents gathered outside the office of TMC leader and promoter Raju Naskar, less than a day after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation carried out a demolition drive against allegedly illegal constructions linked to him.
Residents alleged that they had invested their life savings - nearly Rs 25 to 30 lakh each - to buy flats promoted by Naskar, but were never provided with valid ownership or municipal documents. Sunday's bulldozer action triggered panic among flat owners, many of whom now fear losing both their homes and their money.
The protest outside Naskar's office soon turned chaotic. Locals raised slogans demanding either legal papers or refunds, while one of Naskar's close associates was allegedly assaulted during the unrest. As the situation escalated, the office was hurriedly locked.
Meanwhile, the KMC on Monday pasted fresh notices on two more residential buildings allegedly linked to Naskar at Barowaritola Road and East Kulia Road in Beleghata. According to civic sources, all 16 flats in the two buildings were allegedly constructed in violation of municipal norms.
The fresh notices created panic among residents, particularly two elderly women whose land was reportedly used for the construction of the apartments. One of them is said to be suffering from a serious heart condition, while the other is a widowed senior citizen. Both are now uncertain about their future after receiving demolition notices.
The crackdown against alleged illegal constructions linked to Naskar comes amid wider bulldozer drives across Bengal. On Monday, authorities also demolished allegedly unauthorised TMC-linked offices in areas such as New Town, Asansol
and Konnagar.
On Sunday, KMC bulldozers had partially demolished two large structures allegedly associated with Naskar. Several more notices were also issued to properties linked to him. While the TMC leader is reportedly absconding, the impact of the demolition drive is now being felt most by middle-class residents caught in legal and financial uncertainty.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.