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Video Editors: Prashant Chauhan, Nitin Bisht
Cameraperson: Ribhu Chatterjee
In November 2023, 44-year-old Vakeel Hassan, a rat-hole miner, received a heroic welcome at his home in Northeast Delhi's Khajuri Khas, after he led a 12-member team to successfully rescue 41 workers, who were trapped inside Uttarkashi's collapsed Silkyara tunnel for 17 days.
Three months later, Hassan and his family of five have been rendered homeless, after his house was razed to the ground by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Wednesday, 28 February, as part of an "anti-encroachment" drive.
While Hassan's family claimed that their house was demolished "without prior notice," the DDA – responsible for developing housing projects and commercial lands in Delhi – said that the land was previously acquired by the authority for a development project, and that it was encroached upon.
Vakeel Hassan and his 41-year-old wife Shabana had been living in the now-demolished house in Sri Ram colony in Khajuri Khas since 2012.
They have three children – Azeem (17), Aliza (15), and Aarish (7). While Azeem works a welding job, Aliza is a class 10 student at a government school, and Aarish goes to a private school.
Hassan, who owns Rockwell Enterprises – the company that employed rat-hole miners – said that DDA officials reached his home at around 9 am on 28 February.
Fifteen-year-old Aliza told The Quint that the DDA officials allegedly told her that they were her neighbours and wanted to speak to her.
Azeem, Hassan's eldest son who's 17, claimed that he and his sister were allegedly mishandled by the police. "I told them that we will die, but will not let them break down the house... They pulled my collar and slapped me," he claimed.
Upon his arrival, Hassan said that he questioned the DDA and police officials on the demolition. "When I questioned them, they said that I was misbehaving and took me and my friend to the (Khajuri Khas) police station (for a couple of hours before releasing us). We were mishandled by the cops there," he claimed.
The Quint reached out to Northeast DCP Joy Tirkey multiple times via calls and messages on the allegations levelled by Hassan and his family members. This story will be updated if and when he responds.
Hassan alleged that only his house has been targeted by the authorities. Insisting that no notice was given to him ahead of the demolition, he said:
Standing by its action, the DDA, in a statement released on 29 February, said that “in its role as an authority, it cannot allow encroachment on its land or unauthorised constructions in its development areas”.
The DDA also said Hassan was aware of his house’s “status of encroachment” as it had been previously removed in 2016 and was encroached upon again in 2017.
Asserting that it was a “routine encroachment removal drive”, the DDA said Wednesday’s action did not “target any particular individual”.
After the demolition, Hassan and his family spent the night on the street with his wife and three children near their demolished house.
Aliza, a Class 10 student, said most of her belongings, including her schoolbooks, were destroyed during the demolition.
"I have an exam in the new few days, but I am mentally disturbed – and I cannot study. I had never seen my father cry, but I saw him cry yesterday. My mother too has been in a bad state. Seeing them like this breaks my heart..." Aliza added.
Shabana, meanwhile, worried that Aliza missing her exam would result in her failing class 10. "I am worried about my child's future. She is a bright girl, who takes free tuitions for 40 students in my area. I am afraid her missing her exams will have an impact in her studies... will the school allow her to retake her exams because her house was demolished?"
Shabana's father, who did not wish to be named, told The Quint that over the last 36 hours, the family has refused to eat. "They haven't eaten proper food since morning. When I ask them, they say that they don't feel like eating. I am worried for them..." he said.
Hassan said that after the tunnel rescue operation, he had requested Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari to ensure that the house would not be demolished.
"Tiwari ji assured me that nothing would happen to this house. He even said that he would come and have dinner with us... but now he is not even picking our calls," Hassan alleged.
When asked about the demolition, Tiwari told news agency PTI:
The BJP MP also said that Hassan's family will be given a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) soon. On Tiwari’s promise, Hassan said he had not been spoken to or given anything in writing.
Meanwhile, in its statement on Thursday afternoon, the DDA said that when Hassan’s role in the tunnel rescue operation came to light, officials made alternate arrangements of shelter for his family. However, he “refused” the relief measure offered to him, and “demanded a permanent house either at the same location or at any location in the same vicinity”, the statement said.
Later, in a statement released late on Thursday night, the DDA said it has offered Hassan a flat built for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in Narela on the instructions of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, along with an offer of employment. However, Hassan had refused both.
Hassan and his family said that they would remain in the area until they "get justice."
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