Patiala, August 31
A team of Patiala Municipal Corporation was attacked with stones and bricks on Wednesday when the MC officials reached a village in the city to take possession of MC land being illegally encroached upon. Officials said while employees of the Corporation escaped unhurt, the encroachers damaged their vehicles, including a JCB machine and a Bolero SUV.
A video of the incident was also shared by MC employees.
Officials said a team of land branch had gone to Bada Arayin Majra to take possession of MC land. “The MC owns nearly 3500 square yard at the site, out of which over 500 square yards is encroached upon with permanent construction. The MC team reached there to take possession of the land but the encroachers started arguing over the matter,” said Manish Puri, inspector at the MC land branch.
He said the MC had in fact installed a board about its ownership of the land a month ago, but it was removed by the encroachers and construction was started illegally.
Incidentally, the MC team which had reached the site along with security personnel had to escape after the encroachers attacked them and their vehicles with bricks and stones.
Officials said the team has registered an FIR against five individuals at Kotwali police station in the city.