This Article is From Dec 14, 2015

Child Did Not Die During Delhi Demolition Drive, Says Railways Minister

Child Did Not Die During Delhi Demolition Drive, Says Railways Minister

The minister said he will invite Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a discussion on the issue of encroachment.

New Delhi: Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu today dubbed as "untrue" allegations of an infant's death during a demolition drive in west Delhi and claimed the child died much earlier.

"The child had died much before the demolition drive," Mr Prabhu said in the Lok Sabha.

"Despite repeated notices, the encroachers did not vacate the place. The whole exercise was completely peaceful. There was no mid-night operation as reported," the minister added.

The minister said he will invite Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a discussion on the issue of encroachment.

Over 1,000 shanties were demolished by Indian Railways authorities in Shakur Basti in west Delhi on Saturday, resulting in the death of an infant and leaving hundreds homeless in the winter chill.

The Delhi government blamed the Centre and the railways for what it termed an "inhuman" anti-encroachment drive and asked why it was carried out in the absence of a rehabilitation programme for those evicted.

 
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