Lucknow: A Muslim man, tailor by profession, from Akbar Nagar in Lucknow, took his own life by hanging himself after his home was demolished and his sewing machine confiscated by officials from the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). Aziz is survived by his wife and a six-month-old daughter.
The demolitions in Akbar Nagar, which began in December last year, have targeted alleged illegal encroachments and have left around 15,000 residents in distress, The Observer Post reported.
On October 13, the LDA ordered the demolition of homes in Akbar Nagar I & II, areas predominantly occupied by low-income families, under Section 27(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.
Aziz’s home was among those destroyed. After losing their residence, Aziz and his family were forced to live in a tent. Aziz, who turned to tailoring to support his family, faced further hardship when authorities seized his sewing machine on July 20. He was only able to retrieve it after allegedly paying a bribe of Rs800.
Unable to cope with his financial struggles, Aziz took his own life as he hanged himself, leaving his family devastated.
The demolitions are part of the Gomti Riverfront Project, initiated by the Yogi Adityanath government in 2016, which aims to beautify the riverfront in the state capital. According to National Green Tribunal regulations, construction on riverbeds is prohibited to prevent obstruction of rainwater flow and potential flooding.
