HYDERABAD: In a massive operation revealing a vast land network, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) took decisive action on Saturday, deploying heavy police presence and bulldozers to secure 861 acres of valuable government land in Ameenpur, Sangareddy. The estimated worth of the land exceeds Rs 15,000 crore.
The high-stakes operation, executed in coordination with local revenue and municipal bodies, resulted in the demolition of key structures, including a six-storey apartment building, a large farmhouse, and a guest house. Demolition work commenced around 9 AM, causing panic among residents as families hurried to evacuate and salvage their belongings.
Tenants of the six-storey building reported that around 45 families resided there, and many claimed they had received no prior notice of the demolition. One resident lamented, “We were caught off guard. They just showed up and started demolishing.” Tenants, who paid Rs 12,000 in rent plus Rs 2,000 in maintenance each month, felt they should have been given a proper relocation timeframe.
Some residents alleged that parts of the building were demolished even while occupants were still inside, creating tense situations. One tenant said they had pleaded with officials for a few hours to vacate, but demolition began almost immediately. In the chaos, household items were quickly shuffled, with some families relocating to nearby apartments while others sought refuge with relatives using any transportation they could find.
HYDRAA teams reportedly arrived at around 6 AM, instructing residents of over 40 flats to vacate within a short window. All occupants were tenants, many of whom claimed ignorance of any prior notices. Officials contended that proper procedures were followed and that notifications were sent to the property owner well in advance, allowing ample time for families to evacuate.
One tenant, who had been living there for nine months, noted that officials knocked on doors around 7 AM and required residents to leave within an hour. He questioned how a family could vacate a furnished home under such constraints, alleging that demolition began while belongings were still being moved, resulting in damaged items, including household appliances left on balconies. Attempts to hire movers were largely unsuccessful or prohibitively expensive due to the urgency of the situation.
With electricity cut off, elevators became non-operational, forcing residents to carry their belongings down the stairs manually and leave them on the street, further complicating the evacuation process.
HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath explained that a total of about 1,263 acres in Ailapur village is under dispute, with 861 acres of unoccupied government land now secured by fencing. He clarified that remaining parts include existing homes and litigated land, assuring that properties owned by poorer and tribal families were not impacted.
According to Ranganath, the action aims to tackle long-standing encroachments linked to alleged encroacher MA Mukheem and his associates. Despite a high court order in place since 1998, Mukheem allegedly continued developments and transactions on the land, including a large farmhouse built around 2006 in violation of court orders.
Authorities also claimed that substantial illegal sales of government land were conducted from this location, with thousands of plots sold, some around 100 square yards each, to low-income tribal families for approximately Rs 10 lakh each.
Ranganath indicated that these sales took place despite the land remaining under dispute and ruled by court orders, leading to gradual encroachments over time, corroborated by satellite imagery and mapping data. He noted that Mukheem faces multiple criminal charges and has operated a coordinated network for over two decades.
While the operation caused distress among tenants, some plot owners caught in legal disputes expressed relief, hopeful that the crackdown would help limit illegal sales and clarify longstanding issues. The HYDRAA commissioner reaffirmed that the operation’s priority is to safeguard government land and prevent new encroachments. He added that the actions were backed by revenue records, field verification, and supporting evidence, emphasizing that no stay order is currently active. Fencing is intended to maintain the status quo until courts determine final ownership.
