Authorities Demolish 86 Houses in Ramnagar's Puchhadi Settlement in Anti-Encroachment Drive
Nainital district authorities demolished 86 houses in a riverside Muslim settlement in Ramnagar's Puchhadi village on Saturday, saying the structures were built on government forest land.
Current Summary
Authorities in Nainital district demolished 86 houses in the Muslim settlement of Puchhadi village, Ramnagar, along the Kosi River, during an anti-encroachment drive on Saturday. The district administration and Forest Department said the houses were built on government forest land. The operation was carried out under heavy security, with more than 1,200 police and forest personnel deployed alongside 28 JCB excavators. Terai Western Forest Division DFO Puneet Kumar Tomar said notices had been issued to 92 people during the second phase of the operation; nine structures were excluded because their cases are pending before the court, leaving 83 houses initially scheduled for demolition. Subsequent reporting put the final number of demolished houses at 86 and described approximately 14 hectares of forest land as cleared in the operation. A previous demolition drive in the same area on December 7, 2025, had removed 51 houses and huts and cleared about two acres of land belonging to Ramnagar Municipality's trenching ground.
What We Know
- Authorities demolished 86 houses in the Puchhadi settlement along the Kosi River in Ramnagar, Nainital district, on Saturday.
- The district administration and Forest Department said the structures were built on government forest land.
- More than 1,200 police and forest personnel and 28 JCB excavators were deployed for the operation.
- Terai Western Forest Division DFO Puneet Kumar Tomar said notices were issued to 92 people in the second phase; nine structures were excluded due to pending court cases.
- Initial plans called for demolishing 83 houses; later reporting put the final figure at 86, with about 14 hectares of forest land cleared.
- A previous demolition drive in the same area on December 7, 2025, removed 51 houses and cleared about two acres of municipal trenching-ground land.
What Is Still Unclear
- Whether displaced families have been offered alternative housing or compensation.
- The precise final count of houses demolished and total land area cleared, given discrepancies between initial and later reports.
What Changed
- 31 Oct, 09:21 amSignal detected: Authorities Demolish 86 Houses in Ramnagar's Puchhadi Settlement in Anti-Encroachment Drive
Background
The Forest Department had conducted an earlier demolition drive in the same Puchhadi settlement in December 2025, removing 51 structures.