New Delhi: Olympian Samaresh Jung, who coached shooter Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh at the Paris Olympics, moved the Delhi high court against an eviction notice asking him to vacate his house in Delhi’s Khyber Pass area within 48 hours.
The court will hear the petition, impacting Jung and nearly 200 other residents, on August 5, the Economic Times reported.
On Thursday (August 1), hours after returning from Paris, Jung received the eviction notice at his family’s residence, saying that a demolition drive will be carried out in the area on August 3.
“After the euphoria of Indian shooters winning two Olympic medals, I, the team coach, just returned home from the Olympics to the disheartening news that my house and locality is to be demolished in 2 days,” Jung posted on X Thursday night.
“Writ petition for interim relief cancelled, not taken up for hearing by high court. Is it an emergency or war situation that we hv to vacate in a day? Decorated Sportsman Arjuna Awardee not given a hearing, not a positive message for our sportsmen trying to win for the country (sic),” he added.
Following his petition, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) decided to pause the eviction process at Delhi’s Khyber Pass area.
“This was a property we were staying on for the last 75 years. In 1978, the land and structure were leased out to a Mr. Singh, and we have been paying rent to him since then,” Jung told PTI.
According to the notice, the land on which Khyber Pass is situated belongs to the defence ministry and the settlement on it is illegal.
“I am not above the law and I will vacate if this is what the law demands. But two days’ notice is not the way. At least give us a couple of months to move out,” he said. “Is it an emergency or war situation that we have to vacate in a day?” the Economic Times quoted him as saying.
Jung is known for his role as national pistol coach and his achievements in shooting, including his medals at the Commonwealth Games.
The 54-year-old said he had no other residence in Delhi and is now on the lookout for a new house. “Now, I have nowhere to go. I have a huge library of more than 1,000 books and my brother has gone house hunting, and we are trying to pack everything,” he said.
The demolition drive at Khyber Pass in New Delhi’s Civil Lines area began last month after a Delhi high court ruling on July 9.
Despite residents contesting the initial notice issued on July 1, which demanded they vacate the area by July 4, the court allowed the demolition to proceed.
The court’s final judgement on July 9 stated that the petitioners had not provided adequate proof of land ownership, thus allowing the demolition to continue under legal protocols.
