Bahiyal village in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district witnessed a massive demolition drive on 10 October 2025 with over 180 commercial establishments reduced to rubble. The Gandhinagar district administration claimed that the shops were illegally constructed on public land, but residents allege that the timing of the action, just days after communal violence during Navratri, suggests a deeper motive. The demolition began early in the morning, bringing life in the bustling village market to an abrupt halt.
For years, Bahiyal’s roadside market had been a local hub where villagers from nearby areas came to buy everything from household goods to construction materials. But within a few hours, bulldozers cleared the entire stretch. “Now I don’t know how to feed my children, where to go and work,” said Zainul, a paan stall owner whose shop was demolished. “I have no work left, and days will come when I will die of hunger," he told BBC Gujarati. Several residents claimed that for the last two weeks, they had been living in fear of bulldozers after the Navratri clashes.
The demolition follows violent incidents during Navratri, when stone-pelting occurred at a Garba Sthal (festival venue) on the night of 24-25 September. Vehicles and shops were set ablaze, and over 60 people were arrested. While officials maintain that the demolition was part of a long-pending anti-encroachment plan, locals suspect it was linked to the riots.
Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja told ANI that 186 shops were demolished under police protection, adding that 50 of the shop owners or their family members were allegedly involved in the communal violence.
District Collector M K Dave told BBC Gujarati that notices had been issued beforehand as the structures stood on public roads. “The drive was carried out by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department after following due process,” he said. However, residents claimed they were not given adequate time to produce ownership documents. According to the administration, the operation was a joint effort involving the civic authorities, the R&B Department, and nearly 800 police and civic personnel.
On 9 October 2025, eight of the affected shop owners approached the Gujarat High Court, arguing that the demolition notices were arbitrary and that their structures were not encroachments. Acting on their plea, the High Court issued a status quo order for seven days, temporarily halting action on their properties. The court also directed the petitioners to submit ownership and land-related documents within this period to substantiate their claims. Following this, the district administration spared eight structures in compliance with the court’s directive but continued demolition of the remaining 178 properties.
Gandhinagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Parth Kotadiya confirmed that the administration had respected the court order. “The R&B Department had given notices to all these structures and sought documentation before carrying out the demolition. We have not demolished eight properties as we are awaiting the outcome from the High Court,” he told The Indian Express. Additional Superintendent of Police Ayush Jain said there was “adequate police protection” during the demolition and that no resistance was faced as notices had been served in advance.
A senior district official told The Indian Express that the plan to clear illegal constructions had been pending since last year but was delayed due to inaction by the local Gram Panchayat. However, the survey of encroachments began only in early October less than a week after the Navratri violence. This timing has led to speculation that the demolition drive may have been influenced by the recent clashes rather than being a routine civic exercise.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to stay on the demolition drive.
Region Classification
Urban
Type of Land
Common and Private
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Commercial
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Other
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
No
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Disposed
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Gujarat High court
Case Number
R/SCA 14017/2025
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, Gujarat
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
