Garib Nagar demolition: ‘Homes crumbled, stones flew and I became a part of the story’

The journalist’s left hand, which was injured in the chaos that prevailed amid the demolition drive at Garib Nagar on Wednesday

Reporting from the front line always demands a choice: do I look through my camera or look out for my own safety? On Wednesday afternoon, the line between observer and the target blurred within seconds.

By the time I arrived at Bandra East's Garib Nagar, the air was heavy with dust, despair, and palpable anger. Hundreds had already lost their homes since the Western Railway launched its massive eviction and demolition drive on Tuesday morning. All that remained was an apocalyptic landscape of rubble, broken furniture, utensils, and makeshift tents.

The chaos

As heavy machinery tore into the illegal settlements, the mounting state of anguish amongst locals curdled into fury. Angry crowds gathered to protest. While of RPF and police officers formed human walls to keep residents at bay to ensure their safety, the pressure in this cooker exploded at once.

A Garib Nagar resident takes a nap while awaiting the demolition of his home on Wednesday. Pic/Rane Ashish

Chaos erupted, a few protesters pelted stones, and eventually, officials retaliated with a lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Screams echoed through the lane adjacent to the demolition site while a few individuals tried to breach the security cordon.

The injury

While I sought cover after reporting the chaos on my phone, a stone flung with force in the middle of the melee caught me off guard.

The stone struck my groin, sending a flash of sharp pain. Before I could process the impact, the very stone had rubbed through the knuckles of my left hand. The sound of the bulldozers faded behind a wave of nausea and pain. Realising I was bleeding, I broke away from the chaos and rushed toward an ambulance stationed at the site, where the team helped me clean my wound.

As a journalist, I am always trained to remain a detached observer. The press card offers no immunity in such situations. While I recover from this physical impact, I am deeply grateful to every individual in this newspaper for their unwavering mental support.

May 19
Day demolition operation at Garib Nagar began