Protests Erupt in Dibrugarh Over Delayed Demolition Following Fatal Incident

Protests in Dibrugarh Demand Justice

Dibrugarh, Dec 5: A wave of frustration turned into protests on Thursday at Loharpatty, where relatives of Salma Begum, along with local residents, initiated a hunger strike. They are demanding immediate action against the officials for their delays in demolishing the illegal structure linked to her tragic death.

The incident that led to this outcry involved the collapse of construction materials from a four-storey RCC building onto Begum's home. Following public outrage, an investigation revealed that the building, owned by Yunus Khan, was deemed unsafe and violated the Assam Unified Building Construction (Regulation) Bye-Laws, 2022. As a result, the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation ordered its demolition.

Despite the demolition starting on Wednesday, progress has been minimal, with only about 20% of the structure removed. Locals expressed their frustration, noting that only a couple of laborers were present, and no senior officials were overseeing the operation. Javed Akhtar Khan, a senior resident who joined the protest, stated, “There is a complete lack of concern from the authorities. Only a few workers have been here for hours, and not a single senior official has come to inspect the demolition work.”

Family members of Begum shared their outrage, claiming that the slow demolition pace indicates a lack of seriousness regarding the case. “This is why we are fasting. We demand justice for Salma Begum and the immediate arrest of Yunus Khan. It is shocking that he was released on bail despite the FIR,” one family member expressed.