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The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on Saturday began demolishing the fire-ravaged building in the city's Aliganj area after the 15-day demolition deadline issued to the owner expired, officials said.
Bulldozers reached the site shortly after the deadline ended, and demolition commenced after authorities verified the extent of demolition already carried out by the building owner. A heavy police deployment was made in the area to ensure law and order during the operation. The action comes over a month after a devastating fire at a coaching institute operating in the Aliganj building on June 22 claimed the lives of 15 people. Meanwhile, the building owner, Advocate Rajendra Prasad Shukla, termed the demolition drive "illegal" and alleged that the authorities acted before the expiry of the deadline mentioned in the notice. "This is illegal action. The notice had given a deadline until July 25. As per the notice, I came to take action but I was not given permission by Aliganj Police Station. I was permitted only on July 20. I had been working on it since July 20, and work was being done today as well. I had time until July 25 evening as per their notice," Shukla told ANI. Questioning the timing of the demolition, he further said, "What kind of justice is this? This is democracy. They have come here for demolition now itself with the entire force. If they had any objection over the action taken by me, they should have come on July 26. Why did they come before time? I object to this." Fire had broken out in a three-storey building in Lucknow's Aliganj area on June 22, which housed a gaming and animation studio. Among the 15 people who lost their lives in the blaze were students, trainees, and staff members working at the studio. (ANI)
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