Dispute Over Ancient Shiva Temple Land Intensifies in Muzaffarnagar; Farmer Leader Seeks Fair Probe

Muzaffarnagar: A dispute over land belonging to an ancient Shiva temple in Rohana Khurd village, under Sadar tehsil in Muzaffarnagar, has resurfaced, with a Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) leader alleging that the property was recorded in an individual’s name using forged sale and purchase documents.

Sanjeev Bhardwaj, secretary of the union’s Saharanpur division, visited the Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office at around 3 pm on Tuesday and urged the administration to ensure an impartial investigation and appropriate action.

Complaint Submitted to District Administration

Speaking to the media, Bhardwaj levelled allegations against a Rohana Khurd resident who had previously served as a district secretary of the Samajwadi Party. He alleged that the individual had used allegedly fabricated documents to get the temple land recorded in his name.

According to Bhardwaj, a complaint was earlier submitted to the District Magistrate, following which the matter was referred to the Sadar SDM for investigation.

What Has the Investigation Revealed So Far?

Bhardwaj claimed that the inquiry found discrepancies in the name recorded in the land revenue documents. He said proceedings under Section 38 had since been initiated, with the respondents asked to explain the basis on which the property was entered in their name.

However, the available information does not independently establish the investigation’s findings or verify the documents relating to the disputed land. The allegations against the individual have not been independently confirmed.

Farmer Leader Cites Historical Records

Bhardwaj described the Shiva temple as approximately 1,300 years old and claimed to possess old Urdu-language documents that mention the shrine.

He also questioned what he described as a lack of attention from public representatives towards the dispute, which he said had continued since 2012.

The BKU leader urged the administration to handle the matter fairly and transparently, stressing that the proceedings should remain free from outside pressure. The dispute is now awaiting further action by the concerned authorities.

Reported by: Rohit