National pistol shooting coach Samaresh Jung, who guided Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh to two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, must have expected a hero’s welcome on his return to India. However, the former Olympian’s moment of glory was seized by a disheartening notice that left him with mere 48 hours to vacate his house in the national capital.

Jung, a resident of the Khyber Pass locality in the Civil Lines area of the national capital received the notice from the Land and Development Office (LNDO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which claimed that the land on which the colony is located belongs to the Ministry of Defence and is therefore illegal.

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Jung and his family have been staying for the past seven decades. Left with no options, Jung while speaking to The Statesman sent his brother on a house-hunting mission.

Upset by the timeline set by the LNDO, the seasoned coach said that he had no problems in vacating the place but appealed for clarity on the issue as he felt that the residents of the colony should be given at least two months to evict the land.

“There are no options left, we knocked the court’s doors but our petition was rejected. I hardly had any time to celebrate the two medals which Manu and Sarabjot won, after years of hard work. This is so strange, it happened all of a sudden as I got to know after landing (in India), that the place where we have been living since the 1950’s has been declared illegal,” he said.

Jung said it was announced last evening that they have to vacate the area within two days.

“More than the order, it was the timeline given to us that hurt me. Just imagine, someone suddenly knocks on your door to claim that the place you’re staying is illegal,” he said.

On being asked if he had spoken to the sports ministry for intervention, Jung said he was yet to receive any assurance, and the only consolation he has received from the Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha’s office that they have written to the LNDO.

“Unfortunately no assurance from anyone so far. I don’t want anyone to give me a place but what I’m asking for is time, so that I can plan and shift somewhere peacefully,” said the former Asian Games bronze medallist.

So what’s next? Jung said that they have no other option but to desperately search for a place in the next few hours.

Earlier, Jung, who won five gold, one silver and one bronze in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, also took to social media to express his anguish.

“After the euphoria of Indian shooters winning two Olympic medals, I, the team coach, just returned home from the Olympics to the disheartening news that my house and locality is to be demolished in 2 days,” Samaresh posted.

The Beijing 2008 Olympian said the least he expected is a dignified exit while also appealing for “at least 2 months to vacate” along with a clarity on the matter.

“There has been no proper information or notice. How can families living here since 75 years vacate in 2 days? It is shocking that @LDO_GoI makes a haphazard announcement of demolition with a notice of 2 days, without any clarity of the exact area to be demolished,” he said.

“Being an Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, least I expect, along with the community, is a dignified exit. I appeal for clarity on the matter and at least 2 months to vacate properly,” Jung concluded.

He also tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in his post, along with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and IOA vice president and fellow shooter Gagan Narang, who is currently in Paris with the Indian contingent as the Chef de Mission.