Massive Protest Breaks Out as Locals, Cops Clash in Gujarat’s Porbandar Over Demolition Drive

The protest broke out near the Memonwada area where authorities came in to remove encroachments.

Porbandar: A massive protest on Tuesday broke out as locals and police personnel clashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar over a demolition drive. Later, the protest turned violent as police had to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. The whole protest erupted during the demolition drive that was undertaken by the Gujarat government in Porbandar.

The protest broke out near the Memonwada area where authorities came in to remove encroachments. The whole incident happened when the locals came face-to-face with the police personnel in protest against the demolition drive.

As the situation started to aggravate, police fired tear gas shells at the protesters. The demolition is said to be going on since Monday in the area.

Gujarat | Police personnel resorted to tear gas shelling after a crowd of locals surrounded govt & police officials deployed for a demolition drive in Porbandar's Memonwada area. pic.twitter.com/KPYbO19ilf

— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2022

The state government had deployed the police personnel in the demolition of illegal constructions in coastal district of Devbhumi Dwaraka, Porbandar, and Gir Somnath.

The state government had on October 1 embarked on a major demolition drive at the Bet Dwarka island against illegal properties encroaching government land. During the drive, more than 1000 jawans of the police force from the district and neighbouring districts and even State Reserve Police force were pressed into service.

As per reports, the NDPS accused Ramzan Pilani’s illegal structure was also demolished in Bet Dwaraka.

The strategically located Porbandar island is known as a sensitive island. The place is 7 nautical miles off the Okha port of Devbhumi Dwarka district on Western Coast of Gujarat.