Some members of the Muslim community illegally seized government land in front of a Hindu temple and built a wall, blocking the way to the religious place in Khambhalia of Dwarka. The authorities registered an FIR (First Information Report) against the aggressors and arrested them. Moreover, they removed the encroachment using a bulldozer and cleared the way to the temple.
The matter pertained to Santoshi Mata Temple in the Dwarka Gate area of Khambhalia. Hirenpuri Goswami, who is the head priest of the temple, filed a complaint against five people at the local police station. He mentioned that they had unlawfully occupied the government property located in the northern direction of the temple by preparing fraudulent documents. Furthermore, they barricaded the road with the intention of preventing the devotees from visiting the temple.
The police filed a case against five people under sections 420, 120B, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 474 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) in response to the complaint. Gulmamad Suleman Khafi, Hanif Suleman Khafi, Gaffar Suleman Khafi, Abbas Umar Khira and Khatija Kasaam Khafi were identified as the accused. Abbas, Hanif and Gaffar have been taken into custody while the other two have passed away. On 17th December, the police and local administration ran a bulldozer and cleared the government land to make way for the temple.
Inspector Bhupendra Singh Saravaiya of Khambhalia police station told OpIndia that around the year 2019, the perpetrators forcibly grabbed the government land using false paperwork. The path to and from the temple was later obstructed by a wall that was built there. This land belonged to the government and now the construction has been taken down following a complaint. Home Minister of Gujarat Harsh Sanghvi also informed about the development on social media.
50-year-old Santoshi Mata temple in Khambalia, Dwarka, was blocked by Hanif Suleman, Gafar and Umar. Police took Swift action an FIR was filed, and the encroachment cleared! pic.twitter.com/bPXGlpTrOG
— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) December 18, 2024
How was the land grabbed by preparing fake documents?
An investigation by OpIndia revealed that the land had been owned by the government for years, but the offenders conspired to prepare bogus documents, which showed Maharaja Jamsaheb of Nawanagar registered the land in the name of a man named Dhanji Dalwadi which was sold to a person named Kasam Khafi in 1959. Afterwards, further names were added on the basis of inheritance in relation to the forged papers. Later in the year 2021, the land was again bought by an individual named Hussain Bhokal.
According to the records of the Jamnagar Archives Office, the 1919 documents of the then Maharaja of Jamnagar showed ownership of the land in the name of Bhatia Damodar Kalyan. Dalwadi Dhanjibhai’s name was nowhere in the article number 665. Then in 1959 a document was produced alleging that Dhanjibhai had sold this land to Kasam Merubhai Khafi. However, the complainant highlighted that the lawyer mentioned as a witness at page no 4 of the document does not exist and the same page disclosed that document has been registered in sub-registrar office, but when checked, no such document was found.
However, Kasam Khafi’s heirs applied in 1998 to list their names as heirs based on the same fraudulent document. However, the City Survey Superintendent ruled that the land was government property. Kasam’s descendants filed a motion against this in the Deputy Collector’s Court in 2005 after which the Deputy Collector once more directed the City Survey Superintendent to take action according to the rules.
The Superintendent later investigated and upheld the earlier decision that it was indeed government land. Afterward, Hanif conspired with the Municipal Survey Officer, reopened the matter, and registered Kasam Khafi’s name in the latter’s order rather than submitting an application to the District Collector. The accused then sold the land to a man by the name of Hussain Bhokal in 2021 as the final sale deed was concluded.
Satisfied with the action, the way to the temple has been opened after years: Priest
Hiren Goswami, the temple priest, discussed the case with OpIndia as well. He mentioned that the accused had built a wall with the intention of blocking the way to the temple. As a result, the temple’s path was closed for years. He added that it was difficult for an elderly person to even get there let alone a vehicle. “When we asked the encroachers, we were told that they have the documents. However, it was found that the documents were forged and the persons mentioned in them were non-existent after probe. We then approached the District Police Chief. When he investigated himself, the whole truth came out. Administration has now opened the road,” he expressed. He declared that he was satisfied with the action as now the temple road is open as well as thanked the police.
