Published: 26th March 201
VELLORE: With the Wakf Board reasserting its claim to the 1.5 acre parcel of land in Mathina Nagar in Karugampathur, ownership of which has long been in dispute, simmering tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities manifested visibly on Wednesday. Around 100 members of the Hindu Munnani turned up on the piece of land where 150 Muslims were already present, seeking to tear down thatched huts put up by the Muslims.
The police acted swiftly, deployed a large force and issued a warning to members of the Hindu Munnani and the Muslims, asking them to disperse, thwarting a possible communal clash.
The Muslim community erected a banner on the piece of land stating ,“The land in survey numbers 141-1, 141-2, 141-3, 125-1, 125-2, 125-3 and 125-4 belong to the Wakf Board. Do not buy it or sell it,” on Wednesday, stoking tension between the two communities. Further, they also erected thatched huts on the disputed land. The banner and the thatched huts goaded members of the Hindu Munani to gather in the vicinity in an attempt to remove the thatched huts. Muslims, all members of Haji Abdullah Sha Qadri Tomb and Masjid had congregated on the land earlier reasserting their claim that the land had always belonged to the Wakf Board and refused to leave the place.
The police cautioned all protestors gathered on the land that the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Vellore would conduct an inquiry on the ownership of the land and issued a warning to both communities not to enter the disputed land or attempt to erect any kind of structure on the land.
Invoking Section 107 (security for keeping the peace) of CrPC, the RDO of Vellore held peace talks with representatives of both the Muslim and Hindu communities on Wednesday. During this meeting, one Ajuthan and his wife Prema of Kosapet claimed they had purchased the land two decades ago and showed legal documents proving ownership.
“The Muslims too produced a patta dating back to 1930 that revealed that the land belongs to the Wakf Board. But the Encumbrance Certificate does not substantiate their claims,” said an official, privy to the peace talks. Preliminary inquiries held during the peace talks thus revealed that the land probably belongs to Ajuthan and his wife which has been communicated to the members of the Masjid.
Further verification of documents produced by both the parties will take place on April 9 when an inquiry will be conducted by the RDO after which further course of action will be taken.
With the possibility of anti-social elements triggering communal clashes during this hiatus, the police took the added precaution of getting written assurances from representatives of both the communities.
“We have obtained written assurances from both the parties not to create any law and order issues. The Muslims have also said they would like to remove the thatched huts on their own,” said the official.
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