ARSON AMIDST LAND DISPUTE

ARSON AMIDST LAND DISPUTE

28-MAY-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA-----------------------An incident of arson, stemming from a land dispute, has occurred in Machhalpur village within the Sonhan police station area of ​​the district. Belongings kept inside a hut and a stack of straw were reduced to ashes in the fire, while both involved parties are now trading accusations against one another. According to reports, a long-standing dispute has existed between two factions regarding the assertion of dominance over a plot of land spanning approximately 1.5 acres. The matter took a new turn late Thursday night when a fire broke out in a hut belonging to one of the factions; simultaneously, a haystack belonging to the opposing faction was also engulfed in the flames. According to video clips recorded at the scene during the incident of arson, one faction was seen intimidating the other—threatening them with legal action under the Dalit Act while also using their numerical majority to bully them. Arjun Sah and his family members assert that they have been cultivating the said land for centuries and have also maintained a hut on the premises for many years. They allege that their hut, situated on the land, was set ablaze by the opposing faction while they had stepped away to have their meal.

Conversely, the opposing faction claims that the land is public property and has been forcibly encroached upon by Arjun Sah. They argue that the land should be made available as a playground for children.

Administrative officials state that, in accordance with regulations, land disputes are to be resolved under the directives of the Circle Officer; the determination of whether the land is public or private will be based solely on official land records. However, they emphasized that the incident of arson and the ensuing conflict are unacceptable. An impartial investigation into the matter is underway to facilitate further legal action. As of the time this report was filed, Jitendra Kumar, the Station In-charge of Sonhan Police Station, stated that the land demarcation process would be carried out shortly, paving the way for further necessary action.