BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Wednesday demolished 93 illegal structures including several houses and shops of absconding criminal Raghav Jena at Jharpada here. BDA made an announcement on Tuesday about the eviction drive. Around 10 platoons of police force were deployed and no law and order issues were reported during the eviction. Out of the total structures demolished on the day, one was a concrete shop, 40 asbestos shops, 35 asbestos houses, eight temporary shops, six cabins, two Omfed stalls and one vehicle service centre.
The houses and shops were illegally constructed on government land. “During the eviction drive, encroachments along 1.5 km stretch and on 600 decimal government land were removed,” said a BDA official. Jena had reportedly occupied 600 decimal government land and constructed over 30 houses and 10 to 12 shops. Police said Jena used to collect monthly rent of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for each house and Rs 7,000 for a shop.He is wanted in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly demolishing two shops in Nayapalli area.