Congress leader's farmhouse in Kota razed in anti-encroachment drive

Kota: A joint squad of forest and police departments on Monday demolished three illegal constructions, including a farmhouse of a Congress leader, during an anti-encroachment drive in the Anantpura area here, officials said.

Around 300 personnel from Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) and police and forest departments reached the area with JCB machines early Monday morning and began razing the illegal constructions on forest land spanning over 4,300 square metres, they said.

The farmhouse belonging to Amin Pathan, Rajasthan Congress general secretary, was among the three encroachments demolished during the operation that lasted for over three hours till 9:15 am, Kota DFO Apoorv Krishan Srivastav said.

The two other encroachments razed in the operation are were owned by Pathan's wife and another person.

Pathan could not be reached for a comment on the matter and was reported to be out of the city by his staff.

Srivastav said the illegal constructions made on forest land in Anantpura were marked during a survey conducted earlier this year, following which the encroachers in the area were served notices in February and March for evacuation.

The DFO said no untoward incident or protest occurred during the drive as encroachers had evacuated the place beforehand. The household items on the premises were removed before the demolition began.

Notably, Pathan, days before the state assembly election in November 2023, had joined Congress after serving as a BJP member for around 25 years. He was arrested in March this year for allegedly obstructing government work and was released on bail from Rajasthan High Court within a fortnight.