Eviction-wary locals block NH 24

At least 25 people,including seven policemen,were injured after a protest against demolition of unauthorised colonies in a Ghaziabad colony along National Highway-24 turned violent on Saturday.

Irate locals torched several vehicles,blocked traffic on the highway for hours and threw stones at police and civic officials who reached there to bring the situation under control. The logjam on NH-24,a vital stretch that connects NCR regions of Ghaziabad and further with Delhi,stretched up to 15 kilometres at one point,according to reports. Police used the baton and also fired teargas shells to scatter protesters who set six vehicles afire on NH-24 near Vijaynagar,according to reports.

Locals claimed the police also fired in the air but District Magistrate R Ramesh Kumar denied this.

The protest began early morning,with residents of Rahul Vihar and Buddha Vihar claiming that the authorities were out to demolish colonies where they have been living for the past nearly two decades. They said they had paid for registration of their property but the Ghaziabad Development Authority had declared them unauthorised. Soon,they were out on the highway and blocked the traffic,officials said.

District Magistrate Kumar later said,We have spoken with the people and have assured them that no action (demolition) will be taken soon.

He said 24 people were taken into custody in connection with the violence. Residents were invited for talks to make alternative arrangements but they insisted on regularisation of their existing houses,Kumar said.

(With PTI inputs)

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