Madhya Pradesh Hockey Player's Hut Demolished In Anti-Encroachment Drive

A hut housing national level hockey player Sagu Dawar and her family was demolished during an anti-encroachment drive in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur on Monday.

The 18-year-old full-back was said to have tried to set self on fire after the incident, but she denied it. The state junior hockey team player instead claimed that other women, whose huts were demolished, had poured kerosene on her.

"The local administration suddenly arrived and started demolishing our huts where we have been staying since decades," she said.

Ms Dawar said they had requested for two-three days' time so that they can vacate the land on their own, "but they went ahead with the demolition before we could leave with our belongings."

She said a clash ensued in which her shirt got torn.

"Only because we are poor doesn't mean that injustice will be meted out to us. I won't leave this place till an alternate accommodation is built for my family," Ms Dawar said.

The anti-encroachment drive has been on since the last six months as the land where the huts were built is owned by the local stadium of the education department, said Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bihari Singh.

"After freed of the encroachments, the land is to be utilised for building a sports hostel for promising players. All those living in the huts have been allotted alternate land in Alavada Khedi village in Mandsaur district," said the official.

He said the administration has all records that establish that the encroachments were removed only after substantial hearing in the tehsil in present of the residents.

"What happened on Monday during the encroachment removal was pressure tactics to delay the process of making the public land encroachment-free," said Mr Singh.