Gomtipur Police files two FIRs against Altaf Basi and other for forcible eviction of residents

Ahmedabad: The Gomtipur police have filed two complaints against Altaf Basi and others for allegedly coercing residents to vacate the Char Toda graveyard area. The complainants claim that Basi’s actions are an attempt to unlawfully take control of the land and forcibly displace the inhabitants.

Late on Tuesday night, a tense situation unfolded at the Gomtipur police station, with women crowding the area, demanding action against Basi and his associates. Basi is allegedly a police informer and had contested the 2021 assembly election.

In the initial complaint, 80-year-old resident Badrunisha Ansari, who lives in one of the houses within the Char Tola graveyard, stated that Basi and his associates have been conducting a campaign over the last three months to evict the area’s residents. Ansari mentioned that they had filed complaints with various government offices and with the police. On Tuesday, Basi and his associates arrived in the area, initiated threats, and verbally abused the residents. The complainant reported that they physically assaulted women, resulting in head injuries.

The second complaint was lodged by 32-year-old resident Sahinbanu Ansari, who also resides in the same area. She mentioned that Basi and his associates, including Salam Maulana, Rafiq Gadi, Kasam Shaikh, and others, came to the area under the pretext of cleaning it and forced residents to leave their houses. After Badrunisha was admitted to the hospital, she and other residents were returned by the police, but Basi and his associates once again stopped them, assaulted them, and issued threats. Several other residents were also subjected to violence.