BJP leaders and workers voluntarily demolished a portion of the party office at Hemtabad in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday afternoon after it was found to be encroaching on government land earmarked for clearance.

The move, seen as a rare show of compliance with an anti-encroachment drive, came after Biswajit Dutta, the Hemtabad block development officer, directed the removal of encroachments on government land.

Acting on the order, the BJP workers dismantled the verandah of the party's block office located along the state highway near Shalbagan in Hemtabad.

Biplab Sarkar, the local president of the BJP, was present during the demolition. The workers used hammers and other tools to break the verandah and clear the encroachment.

According to the administration's directive, all encroachments within 15 feet of either side of the state highway leading to South Dinajpur via Kaliaganj must be removed.

After reviewing the measurements, local BJP leaders found that the verandah of their party office fell within the designated clearance zone and decided to remove it themselves.

“The administration has ordered the removal of encroachments from government land on both sides of the road for the convenience of people. Since the verandah of our party office came within that area, we demolished the portion concerned. We hope the government will make rehabilitation arrangements for some local shopkeepers who were affected by the administration’s drive,” said Sarkar, the BJP leader.

Like the BJP workers, some shopkeepers and business owners along the Raiganj–Balurghat State highway were seen dismantling portions of illegal structures and shops built on government land.

Dutta, the BDO, said that the administration had been issuing notices and awareness messages regarding the encroachments for several days before launching the drive.

"We have been informing people for quite some time about the need to vacate government land. We have started the eviction drive, and any construction found encroaching on government land will be demolished,” he said.