Tension prevailed in Taanla Sahi in the Tulasipur area in the city on Monday during an eviction drive when police tried to chase away some slum dwellers who were sitting on a dharna protesting against the eviction of slum dwellers.
Trouble started when some slum dwellers pelted stones at the police and set fire to some shanties in the slum. As the situation went out of control, the police resorted to mild lathicharge in which two persons were injured.
The police later arrested ten persons on the charge of inciting slum dwellers against the eviction drive and attacking policemen on duty. “The CMC’s eviction drive was on. Some people protesting against the eviction pelted stones at the police. We have taken some people on preventive arrest. About 10-15 policemen have sustained minor injuries during the scuffle with the slum dwellers. The situation is now under control,” said Cuttack DCP Sanjeev Arora.
“The reason behind the eviction is that the 264 families residing here will be provided houses under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme. We had discussed it with them and they had agreed to an eviction drive after the rainy season and festival season were over,” informed the Cuttack Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gyana Ranjan Das.
He also said 10 slum dwellers had moved the High Court in this connection and the court had allowed them seven days’ time and asked them to shift at their own cost. Das said the CMC, prior to the eviction drive, had served notice to the slum dwellers and made announcement on the public address system in advance.
He also said that after the completion of eviction, work would start on a housing project by the police department and would be completed within eight months. The Samajwadi Party condemned the forceful eviction and lathicharge on the slum dwellers.
Urging the State Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter, party State president Rabi Behera questioned as to where would the evicted slum dwellers take shelter while the cold wave has gripped the entire State.