Retd engineer fasts for justice

BANGALORE: At 60, you'd love to lead a relaxed life watching TV with your grandchildren perhaps. But retired BEML employee Sukumaran Menon has been fighting for property from which he was displaced in 1995. On protest at the Mahatma Gandhi Statue on M G road since March 23 this year, Menon has been on a 10-hour fast every day for the past 247days.
He came to the city in 1969 and landed a job with BEML in 1973.And in 1993, he purchased 69 guntas of land at Beretena Agrahara, 16th Km, Hosur Main road and two years later built a 2BHK house. The nightmare of land acquisition for the NICE road hit him later that year.
"I was kidnapped once and twice some people tried to kill me but I managed to survive. They also threatened my wife and children when I was at work. Since 1995, it's been a tough life for us," he said.
Menon decided to shift to a rented house close by. Menon told TOI: "Without any notice to me, an order for land acquisition was issued. But I wasn't ready to give up. On November 21, 2009, some persons came to my house and started demolishing it. My family struggled through all this," says Menon.
Menon approached the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board who, he claims, were of no help. Menon filed a case in the high court against KIADB which acquired the land. The case was dismissed in July 2011 and Sukumaran has filed a review petition in the high court.
Menon wrote to several persons, including the President, seeking their help but only APJ Abdul Kalam replied. The retired engineer is being offered compensation of Rs 5 lakh for land he bought for Rs 15 lakh. "I just want my land back. I won't give up," said Menon.