Khargone violence: Madhya Pradesh HC seeks state govt's reply on demolition of restaurant, bakery

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The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench has sought a reply from the state government about the demolition of an allegedly illegally constructed bakery and a restaurant in Khargone, following the violence during a Ram Navami procession in the city on April 10.

Judges issued notices to the state government while hearing separate writ petitions filed by the owners of a restaurant and a bakery on April 22 and April 28 respectively, the counsel for the petitioners informed on Saturday.

Restauranteur Ateeq Ali (36) and bakery owner Amjad Rashid (58) have claimed in their petitions that the Khargone administration had taken an "arbitrary" and "illegal" action to bulldoze their properties without hearing them out.

During the hearing of the restaurant owner's petition, additional advocate general Pushyamitra Bhargav argued that due process of law had been followed in the matter of demolition of the property and only that part of his property was razed which could not have been compounded under the provisions of law.

Speaking to reporters, Ashhar Warsi, the counsel for the petitioners, said, "After the riots, the Khargone administration demolished a part of my client's restaurant, while the other client's bakery was completely razed in the name of removing illegal structures."

After the violence broke out in Khargone, anti-social elements had set the bakery, spread over 2,028 square feet, on fire and two days later on April 12, the administration not only demolished the bakery, but also the generator kept there, he alleged.

Warsi further claimed that his clients did not have any role in the Khargone riots and they are legal owners of the demolished properties and were paying all taxes.

The lawyer said that he has appealed on behalf of the petitioners to constitute a legal inquiry against officers responsible for the demolition and punish them.

The petitioners have also sought that their demolished properties be rebuilt and they be given a proper compensation for their loss, Warsi said.

Stone pelting took place during a Ram Navami procession in Khargone city on April 10, leading to clashes and arson.

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