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Varanasi Dalmandi Demolitions Press On After Shop Fire as Police Make FIR Arrest

Police report an arrest after a shop fire during a clearance drive officials justify on safety grounds.

Overview

  • The multi‑week operation targets roughly 187 structures in Dalmandi for removal to widen a corridor‑linked road to about 17.4–17.5 metres over a 650‑metre stretch.
  • After a shop was set on fire on February 9, authorities filed an FIR naming Ajmat and Farooq Khan; police say Farooq was arrested on February 10 and Ajmat is being sought.
  • Officials describe the buildings as over a century old and structurally unsafe, while residents and traders protest, seek a 10‑day delay, and dispute notices and compensation.
  • Security remains heavy with around 500 police personnel, PAC deployment and drone surveillance as crews move to raze 21 more identified buildings.
  • About 29–30 structures have been demolished so far, with Monday reported as the largest single‑day push, and work paused briefly for the fire before resuming.