The land belongs to the community, and any illegal occupation won’t be allowed, says an AIMIM leader
Team Clarion
KANPUR – A graveyard land dispute in Kyotra village of Banda District in Uttar Pradesh has raised tensions after alleged bullies began levelling the land with heavy machinery, causing an uproar within the local community. The incident, which began on Friday, was met with strong resistance from the Graveyard Management Committee, resulting in authorities stepping in to halt the illegal activity.
According to Advocate Aziz Ullah, the Secretary of the Graveyard Management Committee, the land in question is part of an ancient graveyard that has been in use for generations. “This graveyard is very old, and the boundary was built with government funds over 15 years ago,” he explained. “It has now become dilapidated, and we are in the process of rebuilding it with the help of the local community,” he added.
However, the work was interrupted when a widow, allegedly with the assistance of some outsiders, began attempting to occupy a portion of the graveyard land. The widow has reportedly been claiming the land and trying to block the reconstruction of the boundary. “The graveyard is officially recorded in the Khatauni revenue records, and any claims over the land are completely unfounded,” Aziz Ullah added.
In response to the situation, the Graveyard Management Committee filed a formal complaint with the District Magistrate (DM), highlighting the illegal encroachment. City Magistrate Sanjay Kela, who was present at the Samadhan Diwas event at the city police station, took immediate action on the complaint. “I have directed the Sadar Tehsildar and the police station in-charge to immediately stop the ongoing work and conduct a measurement of the land,” Kela said in an official statement.
The police have also pledged to take action. “We have received instructions from the city magistrate, and we will ensure that the matter is handled according to the law,” said Inspector Pankaj Kumar Singh, the police station in-charge.
AIMIM District President Wajid Ali, along with other members of the Graveyard Management Committee, including Mujeeb Ahmed, Ramzan Mansoori, Riyaz Ali, Kamal Ahmed, and Ramzan Khan, were present when the complaint was submitted. Ali expressed his concern over the encroachment, stating, “This graveyard belongs to the community, and we will not allow any illegal occupation of this land.”
The authorities have since taken steps to measure the land and ensure that the boundary reconstruction is carried out without further interference. The issue has sparked considerable attention in the local area, and the management committee is hopeful that the authorities will continue to support their efforts in protecting the graveyard.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles to preserve sacred spaces, and local leaders have vowed to remain vigilant in safeguarding such land for future generations.