‘I’m a lone Hindu woman fighting 100 Muslims’:Bhopal advocate alleges systematic harassment to sell house; accuses neighbours of blocking water and sewer lines

What options are left when a family feels pushed to the edge in its own home? This question reflects the ordeal of Bhopal-based advocate Veena Gautam, who alleges years of harassment, social pressure, and police action aimed at forcing her family to leave their house in Old Subhash Nagar. From alleged intimidation by neighbours to being placed on a police ‘gunda list’, Veena says she was compelled to fight not just for property, but for dignity and existence. What is the whole matter? Read the report… ‘They wanted our RS 1.5-crore house for Rs 80 lakh’ Veena Gautam, reflecting anger and helplessness, says, My house is in an area where only two Hindu families are left. The market value of our house is Rs 1 crore 50 lakh, but they wanted us to sell it for just Rs 80 lakh. When we refused, the entire family was harassed, She adds that groups of 8–10 youths would stand on motorcycles outside her house for hours. She says, It became difficult for children to play. My daughter even stopped coming down the stairs. The police standing with them completed what was left. A changing neighbourhood Dispute over open land and park Veena says tensions escalated when she objected to the misuse of the open land. Along with other remaining residents, she helped develop a small park there so children could play. ‘The trouble started the moment we decided to install a gate at the park,’ she says. Neighbors protested strongly, as they wanted the land to remain open for grazing goats, parking vehicles, and organising religious or social programmes at will. Veena claims she became the main obstacle to these plans, after which pressure began on her family to sell their house and leave the colony. Alleged harassment during lockdown According to Veena, the harassment intensified during the COVID-19 lockdown. Groups of youths allegedly sat outside her house all day, smoking, making lewd comments, and creating an atmosphere of fear. ‘My daughter stopped stepping out of the house,’ she says. ‘When everyone else was confined indoors, these people would sit on chairs on the road. People kept coming and going, laughing loudly. No social distancing was followed.’ Veena also alleges civic harassment. ‘Whenever the garbage truck came, its microphone would be switched off near our house. I had to make my children stand in the gallery just to see whether the truck had arrived,’ she claims. Sewer blockage and water supply issues When the family still refused to leave, Veena alleges the harassment escalated further. She claims the sewage line of a neighboring house was deliberately blocked, causing dirty water to backflow into her bathrooms. ‘Filth entered the rooms, and the entire house reeked. We had to call a sweeper every day,’ she says. She also alleges that during the laying of a Narmada water pipeline in the colony, the main line leading to her house was deliberately stopped. Despite complaining to the CM Helpline, she says no action was taken. Police action turns against the family The matter eventually reached the police station, but Veena alleges that the police sided with her neighbors. Aishbagh police submitted a report in the SDM court seeking to list Veena Gautam under Section 110 as a habitual offender. The report described her as someone with multiple criminal cases and warned that she could disturb public peace if not bound down. ‘When I read the notice, I was shocked,’ Veena recalls. Declared a ‘habitual offender’ Veena says the police cited three cases to brand her a goon. Two were counter-cases filed after neighborhood disputes, and the third was a minor car accident. She explains, When my neighbors fought with us, I filed an FIR. The police then registered a counter-case on their behalf. The same thing happened again later, on this basis, I was declared a habitual offender. Legal battle for dignity Defamation case against police officers Veena did not stop there. She filed a defamation case, stating that the false action damaged her reputation and professional standing. “In over two decades of legal practice, I earned respect. After my name appeared on the goon list, my work suffered and my family’s image was tarnished,” she told the court. After prolonged hearings, the court ruled in her favor and ordered compensation of ₹2 lakh to be paid by the then SHO Ajay Nair and SI Gaurav Pandey. For Veena Gautam, the case was not just about law, but about resisting intimidation and preserving self-respect in the face of sustained pressure.