Baby killed as Railway officials demolish 500 slums in west Delhi

More than 500 slums were demolished in an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Indian Railways in Shakur Basti on Saturday.

Slum residents created uproar after a child was found dead. They alleged that then child had died in the anti-encroachment drive. Following this, CM Arvind Kejriwal slammed the action of the Railways authorities and said that two SDMs had been suspended.

Railway sources, however, have denied the allegations, saying that the death of the child occurred in one of the slums around 10 am and had nothing to do with the removal of encroachments.

The residents also insisted that their homes were demolished without any prior warning or notice. According to the Railways, a number of notices were issued to encroachers to vacate its land during the last nine months, but the locals did not vacate.

It is also said that a new passenger terminal is coming up at Shakurbasti and railway land is required for that.

sans-serif;">Kejriwal slammed the railways and suspended three officials for "failing to arrange" food for those evicted.

While railways said the child died at around 10 AM, two hours before the demolition drive began to clear several "fresh encroachments", police said prima facie the baby died after a heap of clothes fell on the six-month-old.

"When family members were arranging clothes, a heap of garments fell over the child which they did not notice. The child could not remove the pile and got smothered under it.

According to northern railway officials, "There is a need for constructing additional platforms, repairing yard, washing line, maintenance facility and office space for store and engineering division. So that, more long distance and local trains can be handled at the Shakur Basti station."

However, the Chief Minister slammed the railways for undertaking the demolition drive when temperature saw a sharp drop. He also ordered officials to immediately provide blankets and food to those who were rendered homeless following the drive.

"Railways have demolished 500 shanties in this extreme cold. One child has died. God will never forgive them. Had instructed the local SDM to arrange for food and shelter. They did not arrange the same, so have suspended them," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets.