Police case against farmers for tilling land claimed by Waqf Board in K'taka

Chikkaballapura (Karnataka), Nov 15 (IANS) Amid the row, Karnataka Police have registered a complaint against farmers on Friday for tilling the land claimed by the Waqf Board in Thimmasandra village of Chintamani taluk in Chikkaballapura district of the state.

The situation has turned tense in the village following the incident as farmers and a group of people indulged in heated arguments. The police rushed to the spot and controlled the groups supporting farmers and the Waqf Board.

Chikkaballapura SP Kushal Chouksey and Additional SP Kasim Raja rushed to the village considering the seriousness of the matter. Additional police personnel have been deputed at the village following the incident.

According to police, the leaders of Jamia mosque had fenced the property and put up a signboard claiming the ownership of the land. The Waqf is also claiming that they have a court order in this regard.

However, villagers Nagesh, Sriram Reddy, Ramaiah and others claiming the ownership of the land and disputing the land records showing the ownership of the disputed land as Waqf property, started tilling the land with a tractor. Upon seeing this, Muslim youth gathered at the spot and questioned farmers.

The team of police headed by DySP rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd. The police have asked the two groups to submit property documents.

The Waqf board members have filed a complaint against farmers in connection with the incident. Sources stated that the police have filed an FIR against farmers under the BNS Sections 324 (4) and 329 (3). However, the official statement is yet to be made regarding the incident.

Sources stated that the records of agricultural lands belonging to more than 10 farmers of the village in the survey numbers 13/1 (2.21 acres), 13/3 (20 guntas), survey number 20 (1.36 acres) are being shown as property of the Waqf. The farmers are enraged by this development and a tense situation exists in the village.

On the other hand, BJP MLA from Bidar South Shailendra Beldale stated on Friday that he will take up ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ agitation opposing the claiming of thousands of acres of land by the Waqf board in historical Bidar district.

“The present Waqf law should be amended. Thousands of acres of lands of farmers, historical memorials, government hospitals and complete villages are shown as property of the Waqf board,” he charged.

Sources stated that the Waqf board has claimed 13,295 acres of land in Bidar as its property and submitted documents in this regard to the district authorities. The land records are already showing historical sites, tourist spots, government hospitals, and fertile agricultural lands as property of the Waqf Board.

The Waqf board in its submission had maintained that there are 2,747 institutes and 3,882 Waqf properties in Bidar district. The Waqf board has already fenced 217 acres of land, sources confirmed.