Child didn't die during demolition drive: Suresh Prabhu

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday dubbed as "untrue" allegations of an infant's death during a demolition drive in west Delhi and claimed the child died earlier.

"The child had died much before the demolition drive," Prabhu said in the Lok Sabha.

"Despite repeated notices, the encroachers did not vacate the place. The whole exercise was completely peaceful. There was no mid-night operation as reported," the minister added.

The minister said he will invite Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a discussion on the issue of encroachment.

More than 500 hutments were demolished by Indian Railways authorities in Shakur Basti in west Delhi on Saturday, resulting in the death of an infant and leaving hundreds homeless in the winter chill.

The Delhi government blamed the Centre and the railways for what it termed an "inhuman" anti-encroachment drive and asked why it was carried out in the absence of a rehabilitation programme for those evicted.

IANS