While the Supreme Court's recent ruling, deeming the 2021 demolitions in Prayagraj "inhuman and illegal," has brought relief to those affected, the emotional and material losses remain profound, particularly for those whose homes were razed under suspicion of ties to mafia figure Atiq Ahmed.
The Supreme Court recently ordered the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to each of the five petitioners in the matter. However, for some, the damage extends beyond monetary value. Ali Ahmed Fatmi, a retired Allahabad University Urdu department professor, lost his home and a valuable collection of rare books. "On the evening of March 6, 2021, the PDA gave a notice and came to demolish the house on March 7. We could not even remove our belongings," Fatmi said.
