Police turn heat on encroachers

Police turn heat on encroachers
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Bangalore district police have successfully recovered 1,716 acres and 35 guntas of government land from encroachers, estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore.


In a major crackdown on land-grabbers, Bangalore district police have successfully recovered 1,716 acres and 35 guntas of government land, estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore.

The police have recovered the land in an ongoing drive against encroachment of government land which began on May 18.

Law with teeth

This is for the first time that the police have recovered encroached government land under Karnataka Land Revenue Act 2007. An amendment to the Act last month, has lent teeth to the law by making encroachment a cognizable offence carrying a punishment of three years, besides fine.

On Wednesday evening, a beaming Shankar Bidari, Additional DGP (Law & Order), reeled out the statistics before the media: “About 1,133 persons have been arrested for encroaching government land. In addition to this, the police have identified another 474 accused. We received 408 complaints of encroachment of government land.

Of these, investigation has been completed into 304 complaints. We have already filed chargesheets in these cases.”

Of the remaining complaints, investigation into 40 cases is in final stages. “We will file chargesheets before June 30. Investigation into the remaining 64 cases is under way and efforts are on to complete it before July 31,” he said.

Mum on identity

Mr Bidari, however, refrained from revealing the identity of those arrested despite the media’s prodding. As offences under Section 192(A) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act are bailable, all the arrested have managed to come out on bail, was all he said.

He clarified that this drive has nothing to do with the Legislature committee headed by A T Ramaswamy which is probing encroachments.

Mr Bidari said that the police would go tough on encroachment of government land across the State. He urged the public to come forward with complaints over any land encroachment in their vicinity.

NOT A RAMA’S NAGARA

Ramanagara taluk, the home constituency of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, holds a dubious record when it comes to land-grab cases. Around 139.18 acres of encroached government land has been recovered in this taluk alone. Around 103 persons have been arrested in connection with these land-grab incidents and 42 of them have already been chargesheeted. Nearly 31 cases have been registered at Thalaghatapura alone, while Bidadi recorded 21 cases.