In Meerut and Bulandshahr, two Muslim families set out to build a better life in the homes they had just bought. But almost immediately, local Hindutva groups objected to their presence in Hindu-majority areas.

What followed was the same script in both cities – rumours, intimidation, and efforts to communalise a routine property purchase. Under sustained pressure and in the name of a “compromise”, both families eventually agreed to sell their homes back to Hindu residents.

While the police limited themselves to basic law-and-order duties, a deeper question lingers: can Muslim families in India buy homes without fear, threats, or the shadow of alleged “land jihad”?

Watch our full ground report.