Thousands on streets as BBMP razes hundreds of shanties

Thousands of labourers living in shanties in various pockets of East Bengaluru were forced onto streets after they were branded “illegal Bangladeshi migrants” by a BBMP official and thrown out of their makeshift houses over a week.

Activists said over 200 homes were demolished over the last two days in Kariyammana Agrahara, Devarabeesanahalli and Kundalahalli of Bengaluru.

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar, who was kept in the dark, indicated the decision was unauthorised and said action will be taken against the assistant executive engineer who executed the demolition with police protection.

Those in the shanties were already living under fear after several videos on the social media dubbed them ‘illegal migrants from Bangladesh’ and called upon officials to remove the encroachments.

All their fears rang true on Sunday when BBMP officials started demolishing the sheds despite their pleas they were not Bangladeshis and were ready to provide documents to prove Indian citizenship.

“About 200 sheds have been demolished in Kariyammana Agrahara. At Devarabeesanahalli area, over 500 sheds have been brought down over the last one week. Men in plainclothes said they were Marathahalli police providing protection to BBMP officials. There were no BBMP officials on the site. The demolition stopped only when we confronted them about the order authorising them,” said advocate and activist Vinay Sreenivasa.

The action came just a day after a BBMP official wrote a letter to the police on Saturday seeking protection to staffers for eviction of people from the sheds. The decision to evict them was taken based on “oral complaints”.

“Bangladeshis have set up sheds next to Mantri Espa Apartment in Kariyammana Agrahara and other places in Bellandur ward. They have converted these areas into slums. This office received oral complaints that this has vitiated the environment. There is a need to evacuate the residents of the sheds. To ensure no untoward incident takes place, we are requesting police protection,” the assistant executive engineer of Marathahalli Subdivision wrote to the police inspector of Marathahalli station.

The chief engineer of the Mahadevapura zone refused to comment, saying he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Nagaraj, the land owner who had rented out space for more than 100 sheds near Kundalahalli in Brookefield at ITPB Road, said the police had asked to collect the documents of all residents staying in sheds. “We had given them all the documents but on Sunday, police came and asked everyone to vacate the place,” he said.

DCP (Whitefield) M N Anucheth said the police were only providing protection to the BBMP officials as per rule. “The BBMP stated that hundreds of sheds built on government (lakebeds) and private lands with electricity and water connections were taken illegally. Officials said sheds were built in agricultural lands and after taking rent from people, hence requiring demolition,” he said.

Mafuza Patkewadi, a resident of Brookefield, told DH they have all documents to prove they are Indian citizens but police and BBMP officials asked them to vacate the place.

Mafuza is a domestic help while her husband is a construction labourer. The couple has school-going children. “We lost our shelter and don’t know where to go,” she said.

BBMP chief promises action

"He (assistant executive engineer) has no business to write this letter (seeking police protection during eviction) and we will take action against him," said BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar.

"If somebody is an illegal immigrant, it is the police who must take necessary action. It is shocking that the assistant executive engineer (AEE) bypassed the commissioner. This action is illegal," said Srinivas Alavilli of Citizens for Bengaluru.