Child Clings to Father as Stall Removal Sparks Outcry

April 14, 2026

Chittorgarh, April 14: On Monday, the municipal administration in Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh, carried out an anti-encroachment drive. When a vegetable vendor objected to the removal of his kiosk, Home Guards began escorting him toward their vehicle to take him into custody. At that moment, the vendor’s innocent 5-year-old son clung to his father, pleading desperately and insisting that they not take him away. The incident occurred at the Bappa Rawal intersection in the Charbhuja area. A video of the incident has also surfaced.

Kiosk Demolished Without Prior Notice: Vegetable Vendor

The vegetable vendor, Lalchand, stated,”I have been selling vegetables from this kiosk here for the past four years. On Monday, a municipal squad arrived and demolished my kiosk without giving any prior notice. At the time of the incident, I was at my home, located about 100 meters away from the shop.”

“Upon receiving the news, I rushed to the spot with my 5-year-old son. When I asked the municipal official, Narpat Singh, for the reason behind demolishing the shop and protested against the action, he slapped me right in front of my innocent son.”

“Subsequently, two Home Guards grabbed me and began forcing me into their vehicle. Witnessing all this, my son clung to my legs and, weeping bitterly, pleaded, ‘Let Papa go! Don’t hold him!’ I have suffered a financial loss of 40,000 to 50,000 rupees due to this action. Had they given me prior notice, I would have removed the kiosk myself. I have filed a complaint regarding this matter at the Rawatbhata Police Station as well as on the online portal.”

Vegetable Vendor Misbehaved with the Team: Narpat Singh

Narpat Singh, the in-charge of the municipal anti-encroachment squad, stated: “We received complaints regarding roadside encroachments along the Charbhuja-Nuclear Power Plant road. Our team reached the site and took action in accordance with the rules and regulations. This was a routine enforcement operation.” During this incident, the concerned vegetable vendor behaved rudely toward the team, as a result of which he was detained.

Municipality Displays Insensitivity Congress

Congress City President Shankar Bunkar stated: “On one hand, the entire nation was celebrating the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar; on the other, this action by the municipality presented a stark picture of insensitivity. The administration maintains a silence regarding encroachments by the city’s wealthy and influential individuals, while displaying strictness toward poor laborers and street vendors. This incident has sparked outrage among the general public.”