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Four families took shelter in an abandoned mosque-turned cowshed in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone after the district administration demolished their homes on Monday, 12 April, following communal clashes in the city on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday.
"We have been living here ever since our houses were destroyed. People nearby provide us with food and neighbours have been helping us as well," Shehzad Khan, whose home was destroyed in the demolition drive, told The Quint.
Sixteen houses and 29 shops, mostly owned by members of the Muslim community, were demolished by the administration, citing their involvement in the clashes as the reason.
'Sat Amid the Debris Till 9 PM'
Khan's wife Roshani said that they were trying to find a shelter after their house was demolished, but were unable to do so until the night.
"We were trying very hard to find a house, but could not. Till 9 pm we were sitting and waiting amid the debris of our broken home. Then my husband came and said that he had found a place for us to stay," she said.
Amjad Khan, another resident, whose house was built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and was later demolished, told The Quint that for a long time he and his family were unable to find a place to stay.
"Finally, a person took pity on us and asked us to stay in the abandoned mosque. Different people helped us by providing utensils and an earthen stove to cook our food," said Khan.
People do not have enough to eat in the cowshed, where several children are among those who have taken shelter. Moreover, as the summer has set in, the soaring temperature in Khargone has added to their woes.
We Have Nowhere to Go: Khargone Resident
Another resident, named Hasina, said that people from the government came to inquire about them.
"Some people from the government came in the morning to inquire about us. They asked us how we were. So I told them about the dreadful state we were in," she said.
She added in an emotional state that people gave them shelter after feeling pity towards them.
"People are helping us as much as they can. I'm grateful they gave us this shelter. We have nowhere else to go, we have nobody."
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