India: Police have arrested a Pakistani migrant for allegedly leading a mob that attacked an eviction squad of the Jodhpur Development Authority during an anti-encroachment drive in the Chokha area, officials said on Saturday.
Bhagchand Bheel was arrested late on Friday and booked for interfering in the discharge of public function by government officials, they said.
Mr Bheel has had previous run-ins with law enforcement officials and was also accused of duping and exploiting Pakistani migrants, allegedly through a nexus with the police and the local land mafia.
“We are checking their visa status and their role in illegal activities and previous cases against them,” said a police official.
The Jodhpur Development Authority on Monday conducted an anti-encroachment drive to free government land in Sector 2 and Sector 3 of its residential project in Rajiv Gandhi Colony. During the raze drive, it demolished at least 70 structures, mostly belonging to Hindu migrants from Pakistan.
Protesting against the demolition drive, the encroachers allegedly pelted the eviction squad with stones. A bulldozer engaged in the drive was damaged and its driver suffered injuries in the stone pelting.
On Thursday, Jodhpur Development Authority Commissioner Navneet Kumar was removed from his post and has been put on ‘Awaiting Posting Order’.
The victims had claimed that they purchased the plots by paying between ₹ 1-2 lakh to people from their community on the assurance that nobody would remove them.
