Revenue officials demolish over 50 houses near R.K. Pet in Tiruvallur district; residents allege sudden action without notice

Residents of Santhana Venugopalapuram village in R.K.Pet taluk in Tiruvallur district on Thursday alleged that officials from the Revenue Department razed down over 50 houses constructed on a patta land given to them by the State government without any prior notice.

Residents of Santhana Venugopalapuram village in R.K.Pet taluk in Tiruvallur district on Thursday alleged that officials from the Revenue Department razed over 50 houses constructed on a patta land given to them by the State government without any prior notice.

According to S. Gopal, district secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), the DMK government had given pattas to 113 underprivileged families at Santhana Venugopalapuram in 2000. It is said that the beneficiaries who received the pattas were not able to construct houses for a long time due to financial constraints, while some of them started constructing houses a few months ago.

On Thursday, the officials razed nearly 55 houses constructed in the village. Residents alleged that despite having pattas, their houses were razed all of a sudden, without being served with any prior notice.

When contacted, an official from the Revenue Department said, “the beneficiaries should construct houses within six months of receiving the patta, the allotment of which would cease otherwise. Since the parcel of land was left vacant for more than two decades, it has been allotted to accommodate another section of people. We had already placed a board in April this year, asking the residents to vacate the place. Since they did not vacate, the encroachments were cleared.”

In a social media post on X, BJP State president K. Annamalai condemned the incident and urged the DMK government to take steps to give compensation to the residents and give the patta land back to them.