BENGALURU: High drama was witnessed at a three-storeyed house in OMBR Layout on Thursday when the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) began demolishing it.
The cops from Banaswadi who had come over to offer support to the BDA Task Force and its engineers turned against the demolition drive an hour later when the family convinced them that there was a court stay against touching the property.
BDA and the police have different versions of the same incident. BDA sources told TNIE, “This house has been built illegally by Prabhakar Reddy and family. Our executive engineer and assistant executive engineer have already issued them three notices to stop the construction. They used to stop temporarily and then continue again.”
Before the demolition, the property details were checked with the Law department. “The court stay is for another survey number within OMBR Layout. The family has been misguiding everyone saying the court stay is for their property.”
BDA began the demolition at 8 am and had demolished the pillars and beams of the second floor.
“We had already intimated the local police station two days ago. Cops ordered us to stop after some time but our staff refused to do so. There was stiff opposition from Reddy, his two adult sons and a few of their supporters. but we persisted. We have received permission from the Head Office to demolish it.”
Finally, the ACP of Banaswadi, M H Uma Shankar, intervened and abused our engineers and forced us to stop it by 10.30 am, a source alleged.
Police sources told TNIE, “As soon as the demolition began, the family members approached us and showed the court order which had issued a stay against BDA touching the property. BDA cannot do something illegal like this. Moreover, they told us that the BDA had not even intimated them in advance about the demolition.”
Nearly 20 per cent of the demolition was completed.
"Despite repeated calls made to the engineers and the Task Force involved in the operation by the local police station, they did not answer them," the cops added. Finally the ACP intervened and stopped it, a source said