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RS PURA, Jan 10: The controversy surrounding the alleged illegal transfer of land attached to the revered Peer Baba shrine at Badyal Qazian has taken a grave and alarming turn, with local cultivators alleging direct threats to their lives and approaching the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Jammu, seeking immediate police protection.
According to official records, a written complaint titled "Threat to Our Lives" was submitted by residents of Badyal Qazian to the SP Headquarters, Jammu. Acting promptly, the SP Headquarters Jammu forwarded the complaint to the SHO, Police Station R S Pura, directing necessary legal action and submission of an early Action Taken Report (ATR), as per the official communication dated January 10, 2026.
In their complaint, the cultivators-who claim to have been cultivating and managing the Peer Baba land for over three generations purely for religious purposes-allege that ever since the land issue surfaced, they are being continuously intimidated, abused and threatened, allegedly by land grabbers operating in connivance with certain revenue officials and sections of the local administration.
The complainants have expressed serious apprehension of physical harm, stating that sharp-edged weapons and even firearms could be used against them to silence resistance and forcibly evict them from the sacred land. They have further alleged caste-based abuse, coercion and pressure tactics, claiming attempts are being made to stop them from pursuing legal and administrative remedies.
The escalation comes days after former ministers, senior political leaders and elected representatives staged a massive protest in R S Pura, accusing SDM R S Pura, Anuradha Thakur, of allegedly manipulating land and Waqf-related records to benefit "blue-eyed individuals" and of shielding beneficiaries instead of ordering an impartial probe.
Protesters reiterated that the Peer Baba land is religious, sacred and non-transferable, traditionally managed by cultivators, with offerings used solely for religious congregations and upkeep of the shrine. They alleged that once the land acquired prime commercial value, questionable demarcation exercises and record alterations were initiated to pave the way for illegal transfers.
With cultivators now formally seeking police protection, the issue has transcended an administrative dispute and has become a serious law-and-order, human rights and religious-faith matter. Locals allege that instead of safeguarding traditional cultivators, revenue authorities and parts of the administration are fostering an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The complainants have categorically warned that any untoward incident will be the direct responsibility of the officials named in the complaint, urging immediate intervention before the situation spirals out of control. |
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