ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of residents in Surat’s Muslim-majority Nasirnagar locality have been left scrambling for shelter after nearly 100 houses were demolished in what locals described as a “ghost demolition” carried out without clear official accountability, The Observer Post reported on Wednesday.
Nasirnagar, Surat, is an area largely inhabited by working-class Muslim families.
Residents told the publication that bulldozers arrived with police protection and razed dozens of homes, leaving families homeless overnight.
According to local accounts, many residents claimed they were not given adequate notice before the operation.
The demolition reportedly affected around 95 houses and displaced hundreds of people, including women, children and elderly residents.
Several families said household belongings, documents and personal possessions were buried under the rubble.
The controversy deepened after multiple government departments reportedly denied authorizing the demolition.
Rights group Indian American Muslim Council flagged the incident on Thursday in a post on the social media platform X.
Residents and activists questioned how such a large-scale operation could have been conducted without a formal order from any authority.
According to Indian media, officials from the Surat Municipal Corporation and other agencies distanced themselves from responsibility for the action.
The lack of clarity has fuelled allegations of administrative irregularities and demands for an independent investigation.
Affected families said they were struggling to find temporary accommodation and were relying on relatives, neighbors and community organizations for support.
Local activists alleged that the operation disproportionately affected a Muslim-majority neighborhood and demanded transparency regarding the decision-making process.
Community members also raised concerns about the absence of rehabilitation arrangements for those displaced.
Residents said they had repeatedly sought answers from officials regarding who ordered the demolition and under what legal provisions it was carried out.
Rights advocates called for authorities to release all relevant documents related to the operation.
They also demanded compensation for families who lost homes and property during the demolition.
The incident has drawn wider attention to concerns surrounding demolition drives and housing rights in several parts of India.
Authorities had not publicly clarified responsibility for the operation at the time of reporting.
For many displaced families in Nasirnagar, uncertainty continues as they seek accountability and answers over the destruction of their homes.
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