On September 28, the Varanasi administration carried out the demolition of 13 houses under the Court Road to Sandha road widening project. Among them was the ancestral house of Padma Shri and hockey legend Mohammad Shahid. Despite requests from locals and family members to delay the action by a day, the demolition went ahead under heavy police presence.
Bulldozers arrived early, and one by one, the structures came down. Shahid’s house — built in the 1920s and considered a symbol of pride for local sports lovers — was also reduced to rubble.
Why the demolition took place
The demolition was part of a planned 3.3 km four-lane road widening project in Varanasi, in the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency. The area affected includes a 300-metre stretch near Court Road intersection, where 70 houses are marked for removal. So far, 35 structures have been taken down.
Officials from the district administration stated that the affected families were given compensation in advance and were also issued a one-week ultimatum to vacate.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: Bulldozers were deployed at Court Chowk for road widening from Court to Sandaha. About 13 houses, including that of hockey player Padma Shri Mohammad Shahid, were demolished pic.twitter.com/MH6EDqEFvB
— IANS (@ians_india) September 28, 2025
“We have provided the compensation to the families and also gave an ultimatum a week before. We had told them that they should get their parts of the homes removed from the area designated for the road project, or the administration will do it. When the families did not take action, we had to,” a senior official told reporters, as The Free Press Journal reported
Shahid’s home: A landmark with history
Mohammad Shahid was one of India’s greatest hockey players. Known for his unmatched dribbling, he was a key member of the Indian team that won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He later captained the team in 1985–86 and was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1981 and Padma Shri in 1986.
His home in Varanasi, where he was born and grew up, was more than just a house. It was a symbol for young athletes, especially aspiring hockey players. The house had become part of local memory — a place where people would often stop and speak of his achievements.
Family response: ‘we will miss this place’
According to the City ADM, Shahid’s family has nine legal heirs, out of which seven accepted the compensation. However, two family members were still staying in the house, unable to leave due to lack of alternative accommodation.
“Our memories are there in this home. This is our home. We will miss this place,” said Nazneen, a relative of Shahid. “The administration has given us the compensation; seven shareholders took it, but we have no place else to go, so two shareholders still stay at this home.”
In Kashi, authorities used a bulldozer to demolish the house of Padma Shri hockey player Mohammad Shahid. Despite pleas from people for a one-day delay, the police administration went ahead with the demolition. pic.twitter.com/pezTDf64HT
— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) September 28, 2025
The demolition took place despite their presence and their request for just one more day.
Bulldozer politics: A rising pattern
This incident adds to a growing trend across many Indian cities where bulldozers are being used aggressively as a tool for enforcement — from illegal encroachments to urban development. While authorities call it necessary, critics say it often comes without enough sensitivity or dialogue.
In Shahid’s case, despite legal procedure being followed, the emotional weight of the demolition was heavy, given the stature of the person once living there.
Request for memorial
Though the family has come to terms with the demolition, they have now made a humble appeal to the administration — to build a memorial or square in Shahid’s name at the same spot.
“Let something remain here that tells future generations that this is where a hockey legend lived,” said Nazneen.
PWD Executive Engineer KK Singh responded positively to the request that “It’s a great suggestion. Shahid was a national icon. We’ll speak to the District Magistrate about creating a memorial in his name.”
The road will soon be wider, traffic may ease, but Varanasi has lost more than a few walls. It has lost a place tied to its sporting history.
On September 28, a bulldozer didn’t just remove a structure — it closed a chapter. Now, the city must decide how it wants to remember the man who brought it Olympic glory.
Related
Bulldozer Justice: you can’t just roll in with bulldozers and demolish homes overnight: SC