Malda: Tension gripped Bahannabigha under the jurisdiction of English Bazar Police Station on Sunday after villagers launched a move to reclaim an alleged Debottar property "dedicated to the Lakshmi-Narayan deity, claiming that the land had been under illegal occupation for the last 15 years".
According to residents, around 24 bighas of land in Bahannabigha were originally registered in the name of the deity. Villagers alleged that soon after the change of government in the state in 2011, a local political leader forcibly took control of the property and began using it for personal purposes.
"We remained silent for years out of fear. But now people have gathered courage and want the temple land to be restored in the deity's name," said Nilkamal Das, a villager during the protest.
Residents further claimed that a club room was constructed on a portion of the temple land and that various anti-social activities were being carried out there. Supporting the villagers' allegations, Samir Mondal, husband of a gram panchayat member, said: "This land belongs to the temple and not to any private individual.
The administration should take immediate steps to protect the religious property."
As the situation turned tense, officials from the English Bazar Police Station, along with central forces, rushed to the spot. Police appealed to villagers not to take the law into their own hands and brought the situation under control.
Accused TMC leader Sen, however, denied all allegations and claimed: "The land belongs to a brick kiln owner and I took it on lease for cultivation purposes."