Gujarat: Women protest against demolition drive; threaten to kill themselves

Vadodara: In a bid to oppose the city civic body's demolition drive against illegally constructed houses, at least eight women climbed on top of a water tank here and allegedly threatened to commit suicide by jumping from it.

However, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials later managed to persuade the women to come down from the water tank, and began the demolition work.

The women climbed the water tank located in Chhani area of the city in the early hours on Sunday and threatened to jump from it if the VMC did not concede to their demands.

They wanted to stay in their houses, allegedly illegal constructions, till the examinations of their children got over and they were allotted new houses in the same area.

The occupants of 78 houses in Chhani area were allotted homes under a housing scheme in the nearby Sayajipura locality in May 2016.

Despite being served notices, some of the occupants refused to vacate the houses, and stuck to their demands.

When they learnt about the VMC's demolition drive to be undertaken today, the women climbed atop the water tank in the morning.

Their family members also sat on the steps of the ladder to the tank to prevent any official from going up. They called up the offices of the Municipal Commissioner, Mayor Bharat Dangar, police and fire brigade informing them about the suicide bid by the women.

VMC Commissioner Dr Vinod Rao said after the women were persuaded, they got down from the tank and demolition work at the site was started.

He said they have assured the women about looking into their demands. As of now, they will have to vacate the place and shift to new homes in Sayajipura area, Rao said.