Kashmir Demolition Drive Targets "Encroachments" By Politicians, Top Cops

Authorities in Kashmir went into overdrive on Tuesday to retrieve the encroached government land from influential persons, as they demolished outer walls of the properties belonging to a former minister, the family of a senior police officer and a businessman.

The revenue department retrieved about 40 kanals of land allegedly occupied by the owners of Hotel Nedou's at MA Road here, officials said.

Nedou's owners are in relation with the Abdullahs of the National Conference.

The officials said the hotel is built on 153 kanals of land, out of which an area of 40 kanals is the state land and the rest is the leased land.

They said a boundary wall and a shed were demolished as part of the eviction drive.

In Anantnag district of south Kashmir, the boundary wall and a security bunker of the residence of former minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayyed – a Congress leader – at Dahmal Khoshipora area was demolished by a team of revenue department, the officials said.

They said the structures were built on the state land.

Speaking to reporters at the spot, Naib Tehsildar, Damhal, Mohammad Yaseen, said Sayyed had "illegally" occupied the state land.

“We demolished the outer wall and some bunkers which were built on the government land. We can use this land for a playground or a hospital,” he said.

In another action, the revenue department demolished the outer wall of an orchard land belonging to the family to a deputy inspector general of police-rank official at Mattan area of Anantnag, the officials said.

They said the land measuring about half-a-kanal was "illegally" occupied by the family.

An anti-encroachment drive was also held in Karan Nagar area of the city here, where the outer fencing of the state land allegedly encroached upon was demolished and 12.5 kanals of land were retrieved, the officials said.

They said three buildings having some shops built on the land were also sealed.

On Monday, the authorities had demolished the boundary wall of a SSP-rank officer at Humhama in the outskirts of the city here.

Earlier, the authorities demolished the boundary wall and guard house at the residence of NC general secretary and former minister Ali Mohammad Sagar at Humhama near airport here.

These drives are part of a campaign launched by the authorities to retrieve state land allegedly encroached by several people, including politicians and officials, across the Union territory.

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