Bokaro: More than 200 Sector 12 residents, including several women, on Wednesday gheraoed the residence of BSL executive director (HR) Rajshree Banerjee, protesting the order to vacate quarters declared structurally unsafe. They demanded that the buildings be repaired instead.Police and BSL security personnel formed a two-tier cordon around the residence. However, some protesters crossed the barricades and reached the main gate, triggering a scuffle with home guards. A heated exchange also took place between a woman constable and protesters, mostly wives and family members of former BSL officials. The protesters alleged that the constable slapped a woman.The residents, protesting under the banner of Awas Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, raised slogans demanding a review of the evacuation order. “We all want the buildings to be repaired instead of being vacated,” said protester Pummy Kumari.BSL chief of communications Manikant Dhan said 1,242 quarters in 149 Sector 12 blocks had been declared unsafe by NIT Patna experts nearly two years ago. He said routine repairs could not resolve the structural problems.Dhan added that eligible occupants had been allotted alternative quarters in phases and repeatedly asked to shift. The Samiti said the agitation would continue if its demands were not met.
