Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In the city, land mafia gangs have become increasingly active, openly seizing land and threatening the rightful owners. In a shocking incident on Sunday, a group attempted to grab a doctor's land in Wadadgaon Shivar by attacking him with a sharp-edged knife and pointing a pistol at him in an attempt to commit murder.
Dr. Yogesh Maher owns land in Wadadgaon, which has been a subject of dispute between him and Radhesham Jhunjhunwala. Before death, Jhunjhunwala executed a sale deed in favour of a man named Abhishek Jaiswal, leading to a legal dispute. The court has ordered that the status quo be maintained in this matter.
On February 2, Maher and his family visited their farmland when the accused—Mujahid Naser Khan, Dnyaneshwar Jagdale, and Shahin Pathan—arrived there with a gang of 15 people. They threatened Maher to leave the spot claiming that they had possession of the farmland. As Dr Maher contacted the police for help, one of the accused waged an attack on him with a sharp-edged knife, but he managed to escape the attack. In the meantime, Mujahid pointed the pistol at his forehead and threatened to leave the spot. Satara police reached on time. Mujahid was about to run away, handing over the pistol to another accomplice. However, the cops held him with the weapon.
Serious charges filed against the accused
Satara Inspector Sangram Tathe has registered cases against Mujahid and his gang under sections related to attempted murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, the Arms Act, and the Maharashtra Police Act.
Land mafia active
January 8: A case was registered at Mukundwadi police station against seven individuals, including a relative of an MLA. The original landowner was being extorted to relinquish possession of the grabbed land.
January 11: A gang attempted to illegally seize land worth crores of rupees at Kalda Corner by constructing on it without authorisation.
Eight months ago: A case was registered at Chikalthana police station regarding the illegal grabbing of a woman’s land in Deolai Shivar.