Around 150 families residing in Kattukollai village in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district have received eviction notices after a local dargah claimed the land they occupy has belonged to the Waqf Board since 1954. The issue has sparked concern among villagers and prompted political and administrative responses.
The notices were issued by F Syed Sadam, the caretaker of the dargah, who alleges that the land—registered under survey number 362—belongs to the mosque and was officially recorded as Waqf property decades ago. Sadam, who took over as caretaker following his father’s death in 2021, has demanded that residents pay ground rent, seek permission to occupy the land, and comply with Waqf regulations or face legal action.
In one notice accessed by India Today, a resident named Balaji was accused of encroaching upon Waqf land by building a house and a shop. Sadam has stated that two more notices will be issued, and if residents fail to respond, the matter will be escalated to the High Court.
Sadam explained that his father, due to lack of formal education, did not collect rent from the villagers. Now, he says, the dargah intends to enforce its claim and collect dues. Sadam stated that he had the necessary documents proving this land was Waqf property.
Amid growing anxiety among the villagers, Congress MLA Aassan Maulaana visited the area and assured residents that no one would be evicted. However, he noted that if the Waqf Board’s ownership claim is upheld in court, the residents would be expected to pay a nominal rent. “Once a Waqf, always a Waqf,” Maulaana stated, reiterating the legal standing of Waqf property under current law.
Residents of Kattukollai, many of whom say they have lived on the land for four generations, expressed shock at the sudden notices. They claim to have government-issued documents and have been paying panchayat taxes regularly.
Concerned over possible displacement, villagers gathered at the District Collector’s office to seek intervention. Praveen Kumar, Divisional Secretary of Hindu Munnani, who accompanied them, urged authorities to issue official land titles (patta) to the residents. “These families have lived here for decades with proper documentation. They should not be made to pay rent or face eviction,” he said.
According to locals, the Vellore District Collector has informally advised them not to pay any rent for now while the matter is being looked into.
(With inputs from India Today)
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