The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- The district administration in Betiya, Bihar, demolished around 85 shops in the historic Meena Bazar on Monday as part of an anti-encroachment drive, with heavy police deployed in the area.
- Traders protested, alleging that some of the demolished shops had stay orders from the Patna High Court, with some cases scheduled for hearing on August 13.
- The traders say the shops were allotted on lease during the pre-independence raj era, that they have paid taxes regularly, and that only small and poor traders were targeted for road widening despite vacant land on the other side.
- Several traders warned of self-immolation, saying their livelihoods depend on the shops, and the area remains tense with heavy police presence.
What to watch next
- Whether the Patna High Court stay orders are acted upon, given the next hearing listed for August 13.
- Whether traders' protests, including threats of self-immolation, escalate or lead to any intervention.
- Whether the administration responds to traders' claims of lease documents and taxes paid.
Coverage1
1 report
Indian-language1
All filed from India
Named India · Betiya · Meena Bazar · Shopkeepers · Bihar District Administration · Bihar Police · Patna High Court
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