Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government over its demolition drive in Prayagraj, referencing a viral video that captured a young girl running with her books as bulldozers razed shanties in Ambedkar Nagar. The court described the visuals as deeply disturbing and condemned the state’s high-handed approach.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, during the hearing, stated, “There is a viral video where a small girl can be seen outside a demolished house. Everyone is very disturbed by such visuals.”
A bench comprising Justices AS Oka and Bhuyan sharply criticised the bulldozer action, calling it “inhuman” and a violation of due process. The court ruled that each homeowner who approached the court is to receive Rs 10 lakh as compensation.
‘Bulldozed Without Proper Notice’
The petitioners — including Advocate Zulfiqar Haider and Professor Ali Ahmed — told the court that their homes were demolished with just a day’s notice. Authorities reportedly mistook the land as property belonging to gangster Atiq Ahmed, who was killed in 2023.
The state’s counsel claimed that notices were affixed at the sites. However, the court questioned why standard procedure, such as serving notice via registered post, was not followed.
“These cases shock our conscience,” the bench said, adding, “Residential premises of the appellants have been high handedly demolished.”
The Viral Video That Sparked National Outrage
The girl seen in the widely circulated video is from Jalalpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar district. She was seen fleeing her home with her schoolbooks as a bulldozer razed the structure behind her. The video sparked national attention and political criticism.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at the Yogi Adityanath-led government, saying, “These are the same BJP leaders who say ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, yet their bulldozers snatch away books from children.”
The Uttar Pradesh Congress also condemned the incident, posting on X: “From the shanty being razed, a little girl saved her most precious possession — books! This video is a disgrace to those in power.”
Police Defend Demolition
In response, Ambedkar Nagar Police defended the action, citing multiple notices and an eviction order from the local revenue court. “This action was taken to remove encroachment from village land… The demolition followed legal procedures,” they said, according to PTI.
Despite these claims, the Supreme Court’s observations underscored growing concerns over arbitrary demolitions and human rights violations in the name of encroachment clearance.
