Residents of Haldwani, a city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, have been protesting the demolition of more than 4,000 homes in a Muslim neighborhood known as Gafoor Basti.
The High Court of Uttarakhand has ordered the residents to vacate their homes within a week.
Social media users have reported that around 50,000 people will be left homeless as a result of the demolition. Protests and candlelight marches have been held, with many protesters carrying placards asking about their future and alleging discrimination.
Congress leader Aarfa Khanam has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state of targeting the Muslim community.
In 2016, the court had ordered the demolition of all homes in the area, but the residents argued that they had not been given the opportunity to speak before the eviction notice was issued. The court has now ordered the railways to remove all 4,365 illegal houses from its land.
