Five Killed in Ahmedabad Demolition Drive
The building in Uttamnagar area of Nikol, Ahmedabad was being razed down to create space for road widening.
At least five people were killed after a 20-feet-high wall of a two-storeyed building collapsed during a drive by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to demolish properties in Nikol area on Tuesday, triggering a massive protest by locals, following which the civic body ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Stepping into the matter, the Gujarat High Court suspended the drive till 21 April after some locals rushed to HC claiming that government can expand road even without razing down structures.
The building was being razed as it was one of the structures blocking the broadening of road in the area under the city Development Plan of AMC.
The wall collapsed on the victims during the drive undertaken in Uttamnagar area of Nikol in the eastern part of city, officials said, adding one person was also injured.
Residents of the area refused to take possession of bodies extricated from rubble and sat with them on dharna on road for many hours demanding FIR by police against the guilty, causing traffic jam.
Police later lodged the FIR while an enquiry was ordered by the municipal corporation.
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