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Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, who starred in the Academy Award-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire," visits with his family February 28, 2009 in suburban Mumbai, India.
Credit: Ritam Banerjee/Getty Images
Thursday – May 14, 2009 – 8:34am
The personal woes continue for the child stars of the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire.
On Thursday, the Mumbai slum home of Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail was demolished by city authorities.
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The 10-year-old boy was asleep when a police officer woke him up and told him to leave his family's home, he said. Shortly after that, the shack -- among the 30 shanties on land that was owned by the government -- were destroyed, the Associated Press reports.
"A police officer took a bamboo stick to hit me, and I was frightened," said the boy.
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Officials -- who insist only illegally built shanties were bulldozed -- tell the AP that Azhar's family will be given a new home elsewhere. But the boy's mother, Shameem, said she does not know where they will live.
"Our house has been broken down by officials," Shameem -- who has lived in the shanty town for more than 15 years -- told BBC News. "We have not been given any alternate accommodation. Earlier the authorities had said they would give us a house. But I don't think that will happen any more."
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She told the AP that officials "didn't give prior notice" of their demolition plans.
"We didn't even get a chance to take out our belongings," she said. "I don't know what I am going to do."
Slumdog producers have said that they've done their best to help out the film's struggling young stars. They donated $742,000 to set up a five-year, healthcare and education program for the children. They also have created a trust, the Jai Ho.
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