Self-styled ‘owners’ of KHB houses evicted

Self-styled ‘owners’ of KHB houses evicted
Deccan Herald

Police resorted to caning after some people went on a rampage and damaged two BMTC buses, angry over an eviction drive by officials of the Karnataka Housing Board, in Lingarajapuram here on Friday morning.

Around 50-60 people were rounded off and taken into police custody. Of the 678 low income group houses constructed by KHB in Janakiram Colony, around 560 houses were illegally occupied. After repeated complaints by the original allotees and a court direction, the KHB, with the help of police, evicted the illegal occupants and took possession of the property. The eviction drive started at 8 am and went on till 3.30 pm.

The illegal occupants and other residents of the area protested the drive and went on a rampage. They stoned two BMTC buses and damaged some private vehicles. Police intervened and caned the rioters to restore calm.


“We had warned the illegal occupants and even served notices on them. Few months ago, we had vacated the houses and locked them up. The locks were broken and the houses trespassed,” said a senior KHB official.