Ohar land dispute spans 29 years; attackers show aggression amid court proceedings

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The decades-long land dispute over which former Ohar village sarpanch Dada Sandu Pathan (68) was murdered has claimed another violent turn. Despite pending court proceedings, attackers assaulted Pathan on Wednesday, resulting in his death. Harsul police arrested four accused by early Thursday morning and produced them in court.

The dispute, ongoing since 1996, was between Pathan and a local family claiming ownership of land near Pathan’s home. What began as a boundary disagreement escalated into repeated clashes over the entire property. On Wednesday afternoon, when Pathan went to level the land, a group of 12 men, including children, attacked him. Two children were seriously injured in the assault. On Wednesday afternoon, when Pathan went to level the land, Imran Khan Pathan, Zameer Khan Pathan, Mosin Khan Pathan, Afroz Gayaz Khan Pathan, Aslam alias Guddu Khan Pathan, Haider Khan Pathan, Sameer Khan Pathan, Umer Khan Pathan, Furkan Khan Pathan, Ramavatar Sabu, and Moin Khan Pathan attacked him along with their children. The attack resulted in Pathan’s death and serious injuries to two children.

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Police action and arrests

Harsul police, led by police inspector Swati Kedar, assistant police inspector Sachin Sadaphule, and police sub-inspector Ganesh Kedar, launched an immediate search. By early Thursday, Imran Khan Pathan, Afroz Khan Pathan (42), Sameer Khan Zameer Khan Pathan (32), and Umer Khan Zameer Khan Pathan (27) were arrested from Daulatabad and nearby areas. The court granted five days’ police custody. Six other attackers remain at large, with searches underway by police and the crime branch.

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Unauthorized shops and road protest

The attackers had set up unauthorized snacks and sweets shops in front of Pathan’s house. Enraged relatives staged a protest on Thursday afternoon, blocking the road until the shops were demolished and the accused arrested. Following police intervention, the protest ended, and Dada Pathan’s last rites were performed.