In the Deeg village of Faridabad district, Haryana, a poverty-stricken family's dreams were crushed under the heavy wheels of administrative machinery. A newly constructed house, built with 25 years of grueling labor and an investment of 12 lakh rupees, was flattened into a heap of debris within just 20 minutes of demolition. Left completely destitute under the open sky, the devastated family is now raising serious questions about the fairness of this action. They claim that they were evicted without any formal written notice and that their residence was selectively targeted while similar structures in the village were left untouched.
Demolition Executed Swiftly Without Formal Notice
Sharing the harrowing ordeal, the homeowner Ravi stated that he is a lifelong resident of Deeg village and was the rightful owner of the now-demolished house. According to him, his family has occupied this parcel of land for over 50 years, spanning generations from the time of his grandfathers. Ravi explained that decades ago, land was abundant while the local population was sparse, leading to a system where families settled on vacant spaces with mutual community consent. The family has also held a government-sanctioned electricity meter at this address for the last 25 years, paying their bills regularly. Despite this established history, Ravi asserted that the administration did not serve them any official written notice prior to the eviction. Although they had heard vague rumors 10 to 15 years ago that the land was registered as Panchayat property, the actual execution was sudden. Demolition officials arrived one evening, marked the house, and returned at 10 AM the following morning with heavy police deployment and a JCB machine to carry out the demolition.
Family Alleges Political Vendetta by the Village Sarpanch
The family has leveled severe allegations of political bias and personal grudges against the local village head. Ravi pointed out that more than half of the residences in Deeg village are constructed on Panchayat land, yet the administration selectively targeted only his house while ignoring all other structures. He directly accused the current Sarpanch of orchestrated vengeance, stating that the action was a direct consequence of an electoral grudge. Since Ravi’s family did not vote for the Sarpanch in the previous local elections, they believe this demolition was a retaliatory measure. Ravi argued that if the administration's intent was genuinely the impartial removal of encroachments on public land, similar action should have been taken against all illegal structures across the entire village instead of focusing solely on their 250-square-yard property.
Decades of Financial Sacrifices Destroyed in Moments
Ravi spoke emotionally about the extreme financial hardships his family endured to build their home. Earning their livelihood through animal husbandry and small-scale farming, the family saved every single penny for 25 years to gather the 12 lakh rupees required for the construction. While a significant portion of the house was completed about two months prior, the final touches were wrapped up just 20 days ago. The family had barely begun to experience the joy of living in their new home when the local authorities demolished it in a matter of 20 minutes. The extensive demolition not only destroyed their residential building but also flattened the adjacent shelter built for their livestock.
Centennial Grandfather Left Homeless Amid Ruined Possessions
The human cost of this sudden demolition is immense, leaving a joint family of approximately 30 members homeless. The family includes Ravi, his seven brothers, and his father's three brothers, all of whom resided together in this spacious house. Among those displaced is Ravi's 100-year-old grandfather, who has spent his entire life in the village and is now forced to sleep under the open sky in his frail condition. Ravi lamented that the authorities did not even provide them with sufficient time to evacuate their livestock safely, resulting in a cow being severely injured during the chaos. With their domestic goods, food grains, and animal shelters crushed under the rubble, family members are now painstakingly sorting through the debris under police supervision to salvage whatever belongings remain intact. They maintain that such cruel treatment of an impoverished family is deeply unjust.
