In the pre-dawn darkness, over 90 Muslim families in Ramnagar’s Puchdi area were left homeless after the Uttarakhand administration demolished their houses, leaving children shivering and the elderly distraught in near-freezing temperatures.
Families said they were given no prior notice, and many insist they purchased land legally, with receipts proving ownership. Locals alleged that only Muslim homes were targeted, while neighboring Hindu families remained untouched, raising fears of communal bias.
Residents described frantic scenes as they tried to salvage belongings, goats, and utensils from the rubble. Khurshid, a 60-year-old widow, lamented losing her winter clothes and lifelong home, while Seema, the sole breadwinner of her household, pleaded for basic shelter for her three children. Videos and eyewitness accounts show police preventing journalists from entering the site, highlighting a deliberate effort to block public scrutiny. Human rights groups and opposition leaders condemned the demolition, calling it selective and illegal, pointing to the lack of rehabilitation measures and constitutional violations. Lawyers in Delhi said the action violated Supreme Court guidelines prohibiting forced winter evictions.
With the administration indicating further phases of demolition, affected families remain scattered, anxious, and uncertain about their future. Residents demand justice and immediate shelter, insisting their only “crime” is being Muslim in a region increasingly subjected to targeted displacement and intimidation.
