Hill Voice, 12 July 2020, Naogaon:  A police officer in Niamatpur of Naogaon district has been accused of forcibly occupying the land of an innocent indigenous Santal. On 11 July 2020, Saturday afternoon, the victim Lakshiram Santal made the allegation at a press conference at his home.

The victim was identified as Lakshiram Santal, son of Samu Santal alias Samu of Kumaroil village in Niamatpur upazila.

Lakshiram Santal alleged at the press conference that DB police officer Masud Rana, son of Yakub Ali Sarkar of Tilihari village, had been saying for a long time that he would get 18 bighas of land in Kumaroil Kanupara mouza of the upazila. The police officer said, “You will get 18 bighas of your grandfather’s land, but those lands are in the possession of others. You sold the lands to me. I will do whatever it needs in getting the land.”

In a written complaint, Lakshiram further said that in 2018, Masud Rana made a fake document to buy 18 bighas of land owned by my grandfather in Kanupara mouza of Kumaroil village through local brokers and land robbers for Tk 18 lakh. In fact, he registered the land in his name for only Tk. 3 lakh.

After that, he took me to the Niamatpur Sub-Registrar’s office many times in the name of correction of mistake of land deed and re-wrote all the other lands including 4.5 bighas of land of my homestead on fake papers.

Lakshiram Santal further said, I did not know the matter. But now he is constantly threatening to evict me by claiming that he has bought my land and taken permission.

The police officer claimed the land of indigenous people and planted paddy in the occupied land with the help of hired men. Lakshiram also said that the Niamatpur police came there on behalf of the police officer and forbade him to go to the occupied land.

At the press conference, the destitute indigenous Santal, who lost his ancestral property, said, “I am now helpless as I have been cheated as my homestead instead of my grandfather’s land was written off. I want exemplary punishment for that fraudulent police officer including return of ancestral property. ‘

Meanwhile, DB police officer Masud Rana could not be reached for comment.

Source: janajatirkantho.com