SHRC to Inspect Kogilu Demolition Site After Dawn Bulldozer Drive Leaves Hundreds Homeless
Commission’s top leadership to assess alleged violations of Supreme Court orders as activists condemn government and civic authorities for winter eviction
Bengaluru, December 28, 2025: In a stern rebuke to what has been described as a brutal and unlawful exercise of state power, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered a high-level spot inspection of the demolition site at Kogilu Layout following a pre-dawn bulldozer drive that displaced hundreds of poor families during the peak of the winter season.
The inspection, scheduled for Monday, December 29, will be led by SHRC Chairman Sham Bhatt, accompanied by Judicial Member V. Entikoti, senior police officials from the Human Rights wing, and other top functionaries. The visit follows a detailed complaint alleging grave violations of constitutional safeguards and binding Supreme Court directions.
Commission Steps In After Complaint of Rights Violations
The SHRC’s intervention comes after a formal complaint filed on December 22 by human rights activist T. Narasimha Murthy, who accused government authorities and civic agencies of carrying out an “unconstitutional and inhuman demolition” of residential structures at Kogilu Layout (Survey No. 99) in the early hours of December 21.
According to the complaint, around 300 homes were razed at approximately 4:00 AM, rendering over 1,000 people—many of them women, children and the elderly—homeless overnight, without shelter, food, water or basic amenities.
“This was not merely a demolition; it was a deliberate assault on the dignity and survival of the poor,” Murthy said. “Evicting families in the dead of winter, without notice or rehabilitation, reflects a shocking collapse of constitutional morality.”
Alleged Defiance of Supreme Court Directions
The complaint points to a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s landmark 2024 judgment on demolitions, which mandates due process, a minimum 15-day prior notice, and an opportunity for personal hearing before any structure is demolished.
“The Supreme Court has categorically ruled that bulldozers cannot replace the rule of law,” Murthy stated. “What happened at Kogilu shows open defiance of the judiciary and contempt for fundamental rights.”
The Commission is expected to examine whether these safeguards were ignored and whether the demolitions amount to actionable human rights violations.
Senior Officials Named, Accountability Sought
In a rare and forceful move, the complaint names several senior IAS and IPS officers, holding them personally responsible for what it calls a “lawless state of affairs” and a “man-made humanitarian disaster.” The officials named include the heads of key urban, civic and police bodies involved in the operation.
The complainant has urged the SHRC to recommend personal accountability, including recovery of compensation for demolished homes from the salaries of responsible officers, in line with Supreme Court directions.
Legal expert Umapathi S. of LexGroup observed, “This case goes beyond administrative excess. If due process was ignored, individual liability becomes inevitable under constitutional and human rights jurisprudence.”
Condemnation of Government and Local Leadership
Civil society groups and activists have strongly condemned the state government, the civic authority (GBA), and the local MLA, accusing them of orchestrating or permitting a demolition drive that prioritised brute force over humane governance.
“Bulldozing homes at dawn, in winter, against the poorest citizens, is governance by cruelty,” said Sudha Katwa of LexGroup. “This reflects systemic apathy and an alarming normalization of collective punishment.”
Activist Akhil Babu added, “What is most disturbing is the silence and complicity of elected representatives. Development cannot be built on the ruins of human lives.”
Hope Amid Ruins: Activists and Lawyers Step In
Even as families continue to live in the open, the role of grassroots activists, lawyers and NGOs has emerged as a crucial lifeline. Legal teams are preparing petitions, while volunteers are mobilising food, blankets and medical aid.
“The resilience of the affected families and the solidarity shown by civil society reaffirm that justice, though delayed, is not defeated,” said Akhil Babu. “This struggle is far from over.”
The SHRC’s findings from the site inspection are expected to determine the next course of action, including possible prosecutions, compensation, and directions for immediate rehabilitation.
For the displaced residents of Kogilu, Monday’s visit represents not just an official inspection, but a rare moment of hope that the law may yet stand with the powerless against the might of the bulldozer.
KEY QUOTES
-
T. Narasimha Murthy, Human Rights Activist:
“Demolishing homes at 4 AM in peak winter without due process is a grave violation of human dignity and constitutional rights.” -
Umapathi S., LexGroup:
“Supreme Court guidelines are clear—bulldozers cannot replace the rule of law.” -
Sudha Katwa, LexGroup:
“This was not urban planning; it was administrative cruelty inflicted on the poorest.” -
Akhil Babu, Activist:
“Despite repression, civil society will stand with the displaced until justice is delivered.” -
ಟಿ. ನರಸಿಂಹಮೂರ್ತಿ, ಮಾನವ ಹಕ್ಕು ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ:
“ಚಳಿಗಾಲದ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಬೆಳಗಿನ ಜಾವ ಮನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಧ್ವಂಸ ಮಾಡುವುದು ಮಾನವ ಗೌರವ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂವಿಧಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಭಾರೀ ಅಪಮಾನ.” -
ಉಮಾಪತಿ ಎಸ್., ಲೆಕ್ಸ್ಗ್ರೂಪ್:
“ಸುಪ್ರೀಂ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿದೆ—ಕಾನೂನು ಸ್ಥಾನವನ್ನು ಬುಲ್ಡೋಜರ್ಗಳು ಭರ್ತಿ ಮಾಡಲಾರವು.” -
ಸುಧಾ ಕಟ್ವಾ, ಲೆಕ್ಸ್ಗ್ರೂಪ್:
“ಇದು ನಗರ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಯಲ್ಲ, ಬಡವರ ಮೇಲೆ ನಡೆಸಿದ ಆಡಳಿತಾತ್ಮಕ ಕ್ರೂರತೆ.” -
ಅಖಿಲ್ ಬಾಬು, ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತ:
“ನ್ಯಾಯ ಸಿಗುವವರೆಗೂ ನಾಗರಿಕ ಸಮಾಜ ಹೋರಾಟ ಮುಂದುವರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.”
