In Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, a case of “land jihad” has emerged, where Bobby Ansari and Shahnawaz are accused of unlawfully occupying a crematorium designated for the Dalit community. In response to resistance, the victims endured not only casteist insults but also attempts on their lives, including gunfire from the accused. The victims have implored the administration for protection. On Saturday, 9th March the police filed an FIR and launched an investigation, leading to the apprehension of both accused.
This incident occurred in the jurisdiction of the Janakpuri police station in Saharanpur. Sanjay Kumar, a resident belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community from Dudhli village, filed a complaint with the police on Saturday. In his complaint, he stated that Abdul from his village had sold 5 bighas of land to a woman named Shaheen from Khan Alampur about a year and a half ago. Bobby Ansari and Shahnawaz were found illegally constructing a colony on this land. It’s noteworthy that Bobby Ansari, also known as Kamrujma, resides in the same village as Shaheen.
In the complaint, the victim further explained that adjacent to the location where Bobby Ansari is constructing an illegal colony, there is a crematorium where the last rites of the victim’s family and others from the vicinity are performed. Allegedly, Bobby Ansari and Shahnawaz also encroached upon the crematorium by using a JCB machine. This action resulted in the uprooting of numerous graves and trees within the cremation ground. It is suggested that Bobby Ansari and Shahnawaz aim to create an exit path through the middle of the crematorium.
Sanjay Kumar, a Dalit individual, expressed deep anguish over the actions of Bobby Ansari and Shahnawaz. Upon learning about the bulldozer operating within the crematorium premises, Sanjay, along with several others including Premchand, Jitendra, Brijendra, and Mukesh, approached Bobby Ansari requesting him to stop the activity. Allegedly, Bobby responded with a barrage of casteist slurs, including derogatory terms like ‘Bhimta’ and ‘ch**r’, directed at the victims. Furthermore, both accused individuals reportedly resorted to firing upon the victims. Fortunately, the victims managed to retreat from the scene, narrowly escaping harm.
Additional SP of Saharanpur said, “The police immediately reached the spot as soon as the incident was reported and both the accused have been taken into custody. Apart from the two, a case has also been registered against some other unidentified people, who are being searched. All of them have been prosecuted under sections 297, 307, 323, 504 and 506 of the IPC and the SC/ST Act.”
OpIndia has an FIR copy. OpIndia spoke to victim Sanjay Kumar. He said, “Dudhli village is Muslim dominated, where people from the Dalit community constitute around 40% of the population. The name of the illegal colony being built was given ‘Shah Colony’.” He mentioned that due to the operation of the JCB, some recently buried bodies were unearthed, and dogs were seen feeding on the exposed remains. The victim was satisfied with the police action.
What is Land Jihad?
Land jihad has become a significant issue, leading to various incidents of communal tension, such as the recent violence in Haldwani. In these instances, the Muslim community is accused of illegally occupying government or communal lands. Sometimes, this occupation extends to places of worship, including prominent sites like Mazars and dargahs. A similar instance of land jihad was exposed near the Nepal border by OpIndia.