Family Gets Extra Time to Save Pathankot Martyr’s Bengaluru House

The family of Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar is in trouble after their home appeared in the demolition list.

Lt Col Niranjan E Kumar. (Photo altered by The Quint)

In a welcome move for Pathankot martyr Niranjan Kumar’s family, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), in the face of strong criticism have decided to give the kin of Niranjan Kumar time to fix the portion of the house that is coming in the way of the ongoing demolition drive, reports The Financial Express.

Niranjan’s brother Shashank, who had earlier expressed his displeasure over the corporation’s decision, came out on Friday to thank BBMP for giving the family time to start the demolition of the encroached portion of the house by themselves.

Earlier on Thursday, the family of Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar, who was martyred in the Pathankot attack, found itself in trouble after their home appeared in the demolition list prepared by the BBMP.

Kumar, a bomb expert with National Security Guard (NSG), was killed while sanitising a terrorist’s booby-trapped body.

The city civic body has marked buildings which have encroached on storm water drains and a pillar of Niranjan’s house at Doddabommassandra near Vidyaranyapura is in the list.

The mortal remains of NSG Lt Col Niranjan, who lost his life in the Pathankot attack, were brought to his Bengaluru residence. (Photo: PTI)

Kumar’s father Shivarajan is in Palakkad, Kerala organising a function on 15 August in memory of his martyred son.

Shivrajan, his wife Radha and another son (Shashank) had sought time from the BBMP to make their own arrangements “to remove the marked pillar.”

The BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) officials have marked for demolition one of the three pillars on which my (late) son Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar’s house is standing. My wife and son have sought time for removing one of the three pillars on which the house is standing. My family is bit worried about the BBMP officials using JCB (earth mover) to pull down the structure as it may cause considerable damage to the house itself.

Shivarajan, Niranjan Kumar’s Father

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday, had ordered action against 20 government officials for their involvement in encroachment of storm water drains in the city.

Meanwhile, BBMP continued its encroachment clearance drive for the fifth day on Thursday and marked many more buildings for demolition in Vidyaranyapura.

On Wednesday, the following areas were added to the list:

• Yelahanka
  
• Rajarajeshwari Nagar
  
• Bommanahalli
  
• Mahadevapura
  
• Yeshwantpur

The residents of these areas have strongly criticised the BBMP officials for asking them to make alternative arrangements.

(With PTI inputs.)