Sena MLA, police pressure led to shop demolition over Muslim boy’s slogan row: Civic body

A VHP activist alleged that a 15-year-old Muslim boy raised anti-India slogans during the India-Pakistan cricket match, leading to the arrest of the boy and his family and the demolition of the scrap shops of his father and uncle.

It has now emerged that the Malvan Municipal Council acted under pressure from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane and the police, amid a crowd of 200-300 people compelling them to act without issuing a notice, The Indian Express reported.

Along with the boy’s father’s shop, the Malvan Municipal Council also razed a nearby scrap shop belonging to his uncle, even though the two properties were owned by different landlords.

The municipal authorities stated that the action was taken based on a complaint from the landowner of the boy’s father’s shop, who claimed the tin shed was an illegal structure built on his land. Officials justified their action by citing the presence of a large crowd at the location, which they said necessitated immediate intervention.

According to municipal officials, the complaint did not specify when the tin shed was erected, but they received letters from both Rane and the police, urging them to verify the legality of the structure. The administration subsequently carried out the demolition, and Rane shared photographs of the incident online.

The uncle, who owned a scrap shop located 50 feet away from his brother’s shop, stated that his property was also demolished despite it being on separate land owned by a different landlord. He expressed distress over the financial loss and the impact on his family, particularly as his daughter was preparing for her Class X exams.

The issue began on Sunday night when a self-proclaimed Vishwa Hindu Parishad worker claimed he heard the boy raising slogans and objected to it. The police then filed an FIR against the boy and his parents, leading to their arrest on Monday.

By the same day, the civic body moved a bulldozer to demolish their shop, reportedly following routine communication from the police to check the legal status of the structure. The police clarified that their role was limited to requesting the municipal authorities to assess the shop’s legality and take necessary measures if violations were found.

Besides, the boy’s father’s shop, two to three other nearby structures deemed illegal by the authorities were also demolished. The administration maintained that these actions were carried out in accordance with regulations and complaints received from landowners. The uncle, however, insisted that his shop was unjustly included in the demolitions simply due to his familial ties, despite there being no formal connection between his business and his brother’s.

Following their arrest, the boy’s parents were granted bail on Tuesday and released from Sawantwadi jail on Wednesday.