Ahmedabad: In Bahiyal village of Dholka taluka in Gujarat, nearly 180 homes and shops, mostly belonging to Muslims, were demolished on October 9, days after communal clashes erupted in the area. The authorities termed the action an “anti-encroachment drive,” while residents and rights groups have denounced it as another instance of “bulldozer justice.”
The violence in Bahiyal followed tensions sparked by two WhatsApp statuses shared during the Navratri festival, one reading “I Love Muhammad” and the other “I Love Mahadev.” The posts reportedly triggered clashes between communities, leading to arson, stone-pelting, and vandalism. Around 60 people were detained, and over 200 were allegedly involved in the violence, which left vehicles and shops damaged.
According to a report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), 4,505 Muslims have been booked across North India in connection with similar incidents linked to the “I Love Muhammad” campaign, and 265 have been arrested.
In Bahiyal, officials declared 186 structures “illegal” and demolished 178 of them, sparing eight properties whose owners had approached the Gujarat High Court, The Indian Express reported. Residents claimed the demolitions were preceded by late-night police raids in Muslim homes, arbitrary detentions, and alleged misconduct towards women. Witnesses also accused members of Hindu outfits of attacking homes in the presence of police personnel.
Local residents said the demolition drive left hundreds homeless and without livelihoods, as many of the razed buildings housed small shops and workshops. Authorities claimed the action targeted illegal structures owned by those allegedly involved in the Navratri violence.
According to Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty, the demolitions followed the identification of encroachments over ten days and the issuance of notices beforehand. However, residents contested the claim, saying they were given only a day’s notice to vacate. “We were given just one day to clear everything. They told us, ‘Bulldozer will come tomorrow,’” said Mustaqeen Malik, a shop owner who lost 20 units of his sewing business. “They have left the Muslim community here in a very bad state. We are targeted for every petty thing,” he added.
Witnesses alleged that police warned them to stay away from the site, threatening they would “end up in the debris” if they intervened.
The demolitions have reignited debate over compliance with the Supreme Court’s November 2024 ruling that prohibits punitive demolitions without due process. The court, led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, had declared such actions arbitrary and unconstitutional, emphasizing that affected parties must be given a proper show-cause notice and at least 15 days to respond.
The judgment asserted that demolishing homes based solely on alleged criminal conduct violates the rule of law and the Fundamental Right to Shelter under Article 21 of the Constitution, warning that the executive “cannot act as judge, jury, and executioner.”