Insaaf Times Desk

On Sunday, 13 houses were demolished at the Court Road intersection in Varanasi as part of a road-widening project, including the ancestral home of hockey legend and Padma Shri awardee Mohammad Shahid.

The local administration stated that affected families were provided with adequate compensation. However, despite repeated warnings and a final ultimatum, the residents did not vacate the portions of their homes that fell within the project area.

City ADM Alok Verma said, “We issued an ultimatum last week. Families were informed to vacate the designated portions themselves; otherwise, the administration would have to intervene. When no action was taken, we had to carry out the demolition.”

Mohammad Shahid’s ancestral home, built in the 1920s, was considered a source of inspiration for emerging hockey players in the city. Shahid, who led India to a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, was born and raised in this house.

Family member Nazneen said, “All our memories are here. This was our home. The administration provided compensation, and seven members accepted it, but we have no other place to go, so two members are still staying here.”

Shahid’s wife and son have appealed to the government to establish a memorial at the demolished site to preserve his legacy. The Public Works Department said it would consider the suggestion, noting that compensation had already been provided.

The demolition is part of the road-widening project from Court Road to Sandhia, affecting a total of 70 structures, of which 35 have already been demolished.

For local residents and sports enthusiasts, this event marks the end of an era, as Mohammad Shahid’s home now becomes part of history.