BHOPAL: Already faced with widespread allegations over the “bulldozer drive” against the minority community in Khargone town, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh was confronted with a fresh controversy after a national-level hockey player’s small family home was demolished during an anti-encroachment drive in Mandsaur on Monday.
Failing to stop the anti-encroachment team from demolishing her and neighbours’ huts, the 18-year-old hockey player Sagu Dawar allegedly tried to commit suicide by pouring kerosene over self. However police personnel foiled it.
“The local administration suddenly arrived and started demolishing our huts where we’ve been living for decades. I won’t leave this place till a new dwelling is built for my family at an alternate place,” Sagu said.
The local SDM Bihari Singh, however, denied the allegations that the “encroachments” were removed in haste.
“The process has been on for the last six months, as the land is owned by the education department. Once this land is freed from encroachment, it will be utilised for building a sports hostel for promising players. All those living in the huts have already been allotted alternative land for dwellings at Alavada Khedi in the district,” Singh maintained.
The state junior state hockey fullback alleged that the local administration was not stating the correct facts. “As far as I know, no written document has been given to us that proves that alternate land has been allotted,” she said.