Some residents of Kumbarwada here have complained that their land has been encroached upon allegedly by Karnataka Makkala Paksha (KMP) leaders, among others.
They have also accused government officials of conniving with the alleged land-grabbers.
A group of 60 persons, including rickshaw-pullers, vegetable vendors, and small farmers, have urged the government to cancel registration of land and punish the land-grabbers.
Complaint
“We bought sites from Shivalingappa Peerappa of Kumbarwada between 2001 and 2011. Shivalingappa died in 2012. Only a few could build houses, while the rest got fences erected around sites or fixed markers around them. A group of people, along with Shivalingappa’s brothers, fudged the records and sold the land . We have complained to the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police and also filed a case in the court,” V.M. Vadamani, who was speaking for the victims, told presspersons here on Friday.
According to her, records were changed in 2011, 2012 and 2013, to make it seem as if Shivalingappa’s sister Gundamma Narasappa had sold the land to Vivek Vilasrao Maharaj.
According to copies of the complaint distributed to presspersons, the residents have blamed KMP leaders Raju Kadyal and Kumar Eerappa Koddikar, five of Koddikar’s brothers, and Ms. Narasappa.
“A group of persons entered our lands without authorisation and pulled down fences and poles. When some of us tried to stop them, they pushed us out. We have mentioned this in our complaints,” said Basavaraj, another landowner.
Mohammad Ismail, autorickshaw driver, said he paid around Rs. 50,000 for a small site in Kumbarwada 10 years ago.
“I paid the money in instalments. This is how most of us paid for the land. But now, we have been pushed out. Worse, the encroachers are asking us to pay Rs. 60 lakh to move out of the property,” Mr. Ismail said.
No tolerance
When contacted, Ashok Kheny, MLA and KMP president, said the party would not tolerate any illegal activities by party members.
“We are all for strict punishment to wrong-doers. Anyway, the law will take its own course,” he said.
