The police resorted to lathi-charge on residents as they obstructed an anti-encroachment drive near Mukundwadi Railway Station in Vishrantinagar on Wednesday.
Aggrieved residents confronted the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) anti-encroachment squad and police, resulting in a violent clash.
According to information received, the CSMC anti-encroachment squad, accompanied by heavy police presence, entered the Vishrantinagar area to address encroachments. They initiated the demolition of houses constructed on encroached lands, prompting residents to resist. Residents attacked squad members, leading to police intervention. Despite attempts to convince residents to allow the government's work to proceed, they remained defiant.
Baliram Mirgal, a resident of the area for 20 years, lamented that despite purchasing the land and building their homes, the corporation demolished their houses, leaving over 2,000 people homeless. He asked, "Where should we go now?"
Meanwhile, the administration continued the drive, clearing encroachments from Vishrantinagar. CSMC sources stated that residents had been given prior notices regarding the operation.
