🏚️ Rooftops Torn, Trust Shaken: Sudden Demolition at Guru Ram Rai School Leaves Families Homeless in Mussoorie
Laxmanpuri, Mussoorie | August 1, 2025
In a tragic turn of events amidst the ongoing monsoon, four families were rendered homeless and several others left in fear and distress after the roof of the historic Guru Ram Rai School building in Laxmanpuri, near Landour, was torn down without prior notice. The demolition was reportedly carried out by a team sent from Dehradun, under the directive of the Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib.
Eyewitnesses recount the arrival of the demolition team — accompanied by security personnel — early in the day. No official notice, relocation plan, or court-issued eviction order was presented, residents allege. The structure, long abandoned as a school, had served as shelter to over two dozen families, many of whom have lived there for generations.
🗣️ "We’ve been here since the time of our forefathers," said Narayan Prasad Dimri, visibly shaken. "Now, in the middle of rains, we have no roof. Our belongings are drenched. Children are falling sick. Where do we go?"
The school, once a beacon of hope offering English-medium education to the poor, was gradually shut down. What remained was not just a building, but a lifeline to families — including elderly citizens, children, and daily-wage earners — who continued to reside there, maintaining the premises as their home.
Local residents are now questioning the moral responsibility of the Guru Ram Rai Trust, a spiritual and charitable institution founded on the ideals of service and compassion.
🗨️ "We never imagined that an institution started to uplift the poor would one day drive them into the streets," said Jagat Singh Rauthan, another long-time resident. "There was no warning. No dialogue. Just force."
Hema Rauthan, a homemaker whose family has been affected, added, “It’s the middle of the rainy season. Water pours into what’s left of our rooms. We have elderly relatives, school-going children. This isn’t just a roof — it was our world.”
The residents, some of whom tried to resist the demolition, claim the media was kept away and photos or videos discouraged — leading to rising suspicions and anger among the community. The event has sparked an emotional outcry across Mussoorie, as many feel the sanctity and social mission of religious trusts must extend to protecting the vulnerable.
No official statement has yet been released by the Guru Ram Rai Trust regarding the eviction or future plans for the building. Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns continue to grow as the displaced families seek temporary shelter and legal recourse.
🌧️ What remains now in the heart of Mussoorie is not just a collapsed roof — but a collapsed faith.
