Bulldozer Action On Houses Of 3 Murder Accused In Chhattisgarh

Authorities in Chhattisgarh's Durg district on Monday demolished the illegally constructed portions of houses of three persons arrested in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old boy in Bhilai city, officials said.

According to officials, the action was taken based on a report of the revenue inspector and patwari to the local municipal corporation.

The authorities razed illegally constructed portions of houses belonging to the accused, Nikesh Chauhan, Sumit Chauhan and a minor boy, in the Shardapara locality under Chhawani police station limits, an official here said.

The trio were among five persons arrested for stabbing the Class 12 student to death over a personal dispute in the locality on January 21, he said.

A probe by the civic authorities revealed that the families of the accused had encroached on additional land while constructing their houses, the official said.

A notice was served to them for encroachment, and action was taken as per the Municipality Act, he said.

Welcoming the civic body's action, local BJP MLA Rikesh Sen warned that people committing offences in his Vaishali Nagar constituency will face similar action.

"The bulldozer action was taken on the houses of the accused in the murder of Class 12 student Shivam. I had said on January 22 that if anyone is found indulging in offences of 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), molestation or any other crime, they will face the same action. Criminals in my constituency should now remain alert," Rikesh Sen said.

The state will become crime-free under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, he said.

Last month, authorities had taken similar action against the main accused in the murder of a cow shelter worker in the state's Kabirdham district.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)