About six-and-a-half acres of encroached land was recovered by the Karnataka State Wakf Board in Ramanagara district on Friday.
“This is the beginning of the end of encroachment of Wakf properties across Karnataka,” according to Anwar Manippady, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission.
He told mediapersons on Saturday that Thimme Gowda, owner SPR Sugar Mills, had encroached upon the Idgah Ground in Survey no. 284 of Gurubaidoddi village in Bidadi Hobli.
It was recovered after evicting 280 families from the site and demolishing the boundary wall, Mr. Manipaddy said. He, however, refused to divulge political affiliation of Mr. Thimme Gowda.
A Statewide drive to recover encroached Wakf properties would be launched soon. Wakf land was encroachedbecause of the indifference of those holding key positions in the commission and the board, Mr. Manpaddy said, adding that the members had either turned a blind eye on encroachment or sold the properties by conniving with the officials concerned.
