In addition to an inquiry by the State Land Board, the police intelligence has started collecting evidence of land held illegally by the Vellookunnel family in Devikulam taluk.
Besides the alleged encroached land at Pappathichola in Chinnakanal village, Vellookunnel Tom Zakkariya and his wife, Liza, allegedly have landed properties in violation of the Land Reforms Act, documents with the Revenue Department show. Though a family can own up to 15 acres under the land protection rules, the couple have 21 acres under their name, as per documents at the Chinnakanal village office.
There are allegations that documents have been allowed to be registered without measuring the acreage. The landholdings of the family were in nine different registers detailing ownership of land and its transfers over the years.
Survey number
Mr. Zakkariya’s properties are in register 3,903 with survey number 386/1; in 409 with survey number 435/1; in 505 with survey numbers 389/1 and 556/1; in 3,235 with survey number 34/1; in 589 with survey number 554; in 3,636 with survey number 34/1; and in 4,666 with survey number 34/1.
Ms. Liza’s holdings are in register 3,711 with survey numbers 449, 450, and 176/1, and in 3,226 with survey number 34/1.
This was in addition to the revenue land allegedly encroached upon by Spirit in Jesus, an evangelical prayer group led by Mr. Zakkariya, at Pappathichola where a cross had been controversially installed.
Encroachment-related issues have come to the fore when the village officer of the Chinnakanal village office has gone on long leave.
At present, additional charge of the village has been given to the Santhanpara village officer.
The Chinnakanal village office also deals with cases relating to encroachments on revenue land. Though the sanctioned strength of staff at the Chinnakanal village office is six, only three are available now for regular work in addition to eviction duties.
