Protesters Climb Water Tank Amid Eviction Drive in Jalandhar's Latifpura

Protestors on Tuesday afternoon climbed a water tank in Jalandhar’s Boota Mandi and raised slogans against the Punjab government after the administration carried out a major eviction drive in Latifpura. The situation turned alarming when a woman, affected by the heat, felt dizzy atop the nearly 150-foot-high tank. Other women present managed to hold her and lay her down, preventing a possible fall. The district administration launched this eviction operation to remove the illegal encroachment following a directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Police operation in Latifpur, where authorities removed occupants and dismantled their tents, began around 4.30 AM. The operation continued for several hours, after which police took control of the land and declared it vacated. These protestors have been living in make-shift tents for the past three years following the demolition of their houses. The eviction comes a day before a scheduled HC hearing on the Latifpura land dispute. On Tuesday, the Jalandhar Improvement Trust is required to submit its response regarding the status of the land possession. Around 50-60 families had already been evicted from the same site in 2022. The land under dispute is around 1.5 acres, where these houses were constructed. Since then, around 15 displaced residents had been living on the land in tents. On December 9, 2022, the the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) had carried out a similar high-intensity operation and demolished around 50 houses in compliance with HC directions and submitted a status report on the action. For several days, Latifpura had turned into a hub of political activity, with several political leaders and social organisations visiting the site to express support for the residents. The Latifpura land dispute has its roots in the mid-1970s. In 1975-76, the JIT acquired nearly 110 acres of land to develop the Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar (GTB Nagar) housing colony. The issue resurfaced decades later in 2006. The GTB Nagar residents approached the HC, alleging that encroachments were blocking the proposed 120-foot-wide road passing through the area. The HC in 2012 ordered the removal of the encroachments. The affected residents challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, but their special leave petition was dismissed, clearing the way for enforcement. In 2014, the GTB Nagar residents submitted formal objections before a sub-committee constituted under the directions of the HC, seeking a review of the ground situation and their claims. However, the legal proceedings continued over the years. During the tenures of former mayors of Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, several eviction attempts were launched but were withdrawn due to intense public opposition. The Model Town Joint Action Committee (JAC) had filed a civil writ petition and demanded to reopen the 120-foot-wide road blocked by the tents. Following which, in 2025, the HC directed the authorities to remove the remaining debris and temporary tents within 30 days, further intensifying the ongoing dispute. Many families say they invested their lifetime savings to build homes on the land and are now fighting the case in court. Several Latifpura residents had migrated from Pakistan after partition and were living here. The JIT has offered Marla flats and small plots, but no one was ready to move in because of the flats’ dilapidated condition.