Varanasi: The ancestral home of hockey legend and Padma Shri awardee Mohammad Shahid was demolished on Sunday as part of a road widening project at the Court Road intersection. The demolition was carried out along with 12 other houses under the Court Road to Sandha expansion plan.
Officials said compensation had been offered to all affected families. Despite repeated notices and a final ultimatum, residents did not vacate the marked portions of their houses, prompting the administration to proceed. “We gave an ultimatum last week. The families were told to remove the earmarked parts themselves, otherwise the administration would step in. Since no action was taken, we had to proceed with the demolition,” said City ADM Alok Verma.
Among the structures taken down was Shahid’s residence, built in the 1920s. The house had become a landmark in the city and a source of pride for local hockey players who looked up to Shahid’s legacy. He was part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1986. Shahid passed away in 2016.
Family members expressed sorrow over losing the historic home. “Our memories are there in this home. We will miss this place. The administration has given us compensation. Seven shareholders accepted it, but we have no place else to go, so two shareholders still stay here,” said Nazneen, a relative.
Officials confirmed that out of Shahid’s nine family members, seven had taken the compensation package, while two have yet to decide.
