While some women said they had not drunk water throughout the day because there were no toilets left after their houses were demolished, others spoke about the difficulty of breastfeeding their children without even a place to sit.
Men in the area, meanwhile, said they were worried about loans they had taken to meet daily needs, now left with debts but no shelter. For families in Kogilu Layout, multiple problems unfolded at the same time after the families, living in informal settlements, turned homeless.
On December 20, government agencies demolished over 150 houses in Fakeer Colony and parts of Waseem Layout in Kogilu Layout, Yelahanka, leaving around 500 people homeless. With no alternative accommodation provided, many families stayed in a nearby government Urdu school, where they remained through the weekend. However, residents said they were now worried that they would be asked to vacate the school when it reopens on Monday morning, once again leaving them homeless.
The uncertainty has also worsened the financial stress many families were already under. Several men said they had taken loans at high interest rates to manage daily expenses, medical needs, or temporary housing over the years. With the demolition, they said they were left with debts and no shelter. “I took a loan of ₹3 lakh just last month. I sold my two-wheeler to repay part of it. Now, there is no house, and the loan is still there,” Mohammed Zaishan, 53, said, adding that much of what families earn through daily-wage work, domestic labour, or seeking alms goes towards loan repayments.
Several women told The Hindu that they were menstruating but had no access to sanitary products, clean clothes or any space, as all their belongings were destroyed. “Everything was inside the house. We don’t even have spare clothes. All of us have been avoiding drinking water for long hours because there were no toilets left after the demolition. If we drink water, where do we go?” Soukanya M., a native of Bagepalli who works as a daily-wage labourer in Bengaluru, said, while feeding her three-month-old baby.
Families said schoolchildren had lost books and certificates during the demolition drive. Bhanupriya, an LLB student, said all her study material, including her examination identity card, was buried under the debris. “My exam is on Monday, and I don’t even have my ID card. We are trying to reach out to anyone who could help appear for the exam, she said. They also pointed out to children who were left exposed to the cold, asking, “Does the government have no humanity? It is peak winter, we have no roof, our children are falling sick, and we don’t even have blankets.”
Displaced residents also protested outside the office of MLA for Byatarayanapura Krishna Byre Gowda, demanding alternative accommodation and relief. The residents, however, said Mr. Gowda did not address their concerns and asked them to return again on Monday. They argued that their address was listed on electricity meters, Aadhaar and ration cards, and questioned how the government could now label them as illegal occupants.
Published – December 21, 2025 07:15 pm IST
