Dibrugarh Residents End Hunger Strike After Demolition Promises

In Dibrugarh, a hunger strike protesting the slow demolition of an illegal building, which caused the death of Salma Begum, was called off after officials assured swift action. Local residents had expressed their frustration over the municipality's inaction and demanded justice. Following a formal investigation that deemed the structure unsafe, the municipal corporation ordered its demolition. However, progress was slow, prompting public outrage. The situation improved when authorities promised to expedite the demolition process, leading residents to monitor the situation closely.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 6, 2025, 11:22 IST

Protest Concludes Following Assurances from Authorities

Dibrugarh, Dec 6: A hunger strike initiated on Thursday to demand the swift demolition of an illegal building, which resulted in the tragic death of Salma Begum at Loharpatty, was called off late Thursday night. This decision came after officials from the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation and district administration assured that the demolition of the unauthorized G+4 structure would be expedited.

Residents of the area, showing support for the bereaved family, participated in the hunger strike, criticizing the municipality's perceived inaction regarding the incident. Their main demand was for prompt justice for Salma Begum, who tragically lost her life when construction debris from the illegal four-storey RCC building fell onto her home.

The public's anger over the incident led to an official investigation, which determined that the building, owned by Yunus Khan, was unsafe and violated the Assam Unified Building Construction (Regulation) Bye-Laws, 2022. Following these findings, the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation ordered the structure's demolition. However, the demolition process was progressing slowly, with reports indicating that only about 20 percent of the building had been taken down since work commenced on Wednesday. Residents claimed that only a few laborers were working on the site and that no senior officials were supervising the operation, which fueled accusations of negligence.

The situation improved around 8 pm on Thursday when protestors agreed to end their hunger strike after receiving assurances from authorities that contractors would be promptly hired to carry out the demolition in a systematic manner. Local residents stated they would keep a close watch on the demolition's progress and would resume their protests if the administration failed to fulfill its commitments.

Staff Correspondent