Hyderabad: In a relief to thirteen families from Gaddapotharam village in Sangareddy district, the Telangana high court has stayed the demolition of their homes by the municipal authorities.In April 2025, Gaddapotharam municipal authorities descended on the area with JCBs and demolition squads, attempting to demolish the homes of the petitioners. Aggrieved by the move, the families approached the high court, seeking relief and a stay on demolitions. They claimed that, without any prior communication or notice, the authorities carried out the demolition activity.While directing the authorities not to demolish the houses of the families, the high court also ordered the authorities to follow due process of law for any action on the process. The aggrieved families, residing at Alinagar under Gaddapotharam, stated that they had been living on govt land for over two decades, occupying plots measuring up to 80 square yards each. They had also built houses on the same plots and continued to reside there.They further claimed that after Gaddapotharam was upgraded to a municipality, authorities recommended that assigned lands be given to some villagers, including the petitioners. Subsequently, they obtained permission from the then gram panchayat and constructed houses and were residing there without any objection from any govt departments or others. However, the municipal authorities later tried to demolish their houses, armed with JCBs and other equipment.The petitioners also claimed that the demolition teams were accompanied by a large police force. They named the municipal administration and urban development department, Gaddapotharam municipality, Tahsildar Jinnaram mandal, and IDA Bollarum Police in Sangareddy district parties in the matter. After hearing the arguments from both sides, the high court issued directions in the first week of May.