A private school intended to educate children from nursery to Class 8 in Dhaba village, Betul district, became the centre of controversy after rumours falsely branding it as an unauthorised madrasa led to its partial demolition.

The school’s founder, Abdul Naeem, had invested nearly Rs 20 lakh of borrowed money and family savings to build the facility, aimed at providing quality education to children from the village and nearby tribal hamlets.

A Vision for Village Education

For years, Abdul Naeem envisioned a school that would eliminate the need for local children to travel long distances for education. Acting on this vision, he:

• Secured commercial land diversion

• Obtained a panchayat NOC

• Submitted a formal application to the School Education Department on December 30, along with all required land documents

“I decided to build the school on my private land so that the village could progress and children could study. Senior officials claimed that we were doing something wrong,” Naeem explained.

Rumours Lead to Demolition Orders

The construction was progressing smoothly until rumours began circulating that the building was a madrasa.

“This is a village with only three Muslim families. How could a madrasa even operate here? The building wasn’t complete, and there were no classes or students,” Naeem said.

On January 11, the Gram Panchayat issued a notice ordering Naeem to demolish the structure himself, citing lack of permission. When he went to submit a response, he claims officials refused to accept it and asked him to return later.

Demolition on January 13

On January 13, as Naeem and villagers went to meet the District Collector for clarification, the administration arrived at the site with a JCB machine and police presence.

By dusk, parts of the school building, including a front shed, had been razed.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajit Maravi defended the action, stating it followed a panchayat complaint alleging encroachment and rule violations. “Verification found that part of the construction was encroaching. Only the illegal portion was removed, not the entire building,” he said, adding that some mandatory permissions had not been obtained.

Founder Disputes Demolition

Naeem disputes these claims, insisting he had obtained all necessary approvals. “I had the panchayat NOC and applied for official school approval. If any paperwork mistake occurred, I was ready to pay the government fine,” he said.

The incident highlights the challenges faced by local educators in navigating bureaucratic processes and ensuring educational opportunities in rural areas.