Video: 2 Women Threaten Suicide Over Ghaziabad Anti-Encroachment Drive

Dramatic scenes played out during an anti-encroachment drive in Ghaziabad today after two women locked themselves in a room, lit a fire and threatened to burn themselves if the demolition didn't stop.

Officials and the police left the spot after the women refused to exit the room, saying that they would be forced to live on the streets if their homes were razed.

Visuals from the spot showed the two women looking out the window and repeatedly pointing to a fire inside. As people gathered outside requested them to exit the smoke-filled room, they replied they won't do so till the administration's officials conducting the anti-encroachment drive left the area. "We will exit this room only if you leave, otherwise we are not afraid to die," one of the women was heard screaming in a video.

Encroachment around a pond on government land were being removed, senior official Pratit Kumar said. Some illegal structures were removed today and that the work would continue, he added.

Asked how the administration would handle the situation arising out of the protest by the women, he said, "We will hear them out. If they have a valid argument, action will be taken."

There was heavy deployment of police in the area for the drive to remove illegal structures. Some people were taken into custody for trying to disrupt the exercise.