Tensions flared at the Mangalampettai (Mangalampet) sub-registrar’s office when a group of villagers protested, alleging that local land had been wrongly claimed as Waqf property and refusing to allow its registration.
The issue came to light when over a hundred residents from M. Akaram village, located near Mangalampet, in Virudhachalam assembled outside the sub-registrar’s office around 11:00 a.m. The protest, organized under the banner of the Hindu Munnani, was sparked by a land transaction involving Poomalai, son of M. Akaram resident Periyasamy, who attempted to register a land donation in his son Karthikeyan’s name. Officials refused to process the registration, citing the land as belonging to the Waqf Board.
In response, the villagers led by Hindu Munnani functionary Velmurugan, BJP union leader Paramasivam, and coordinator Kamalakannan demanded that the land be rightfully registered to the family. The group staged a sit-in protest at the office.
Authorities, including Mangalampet Inspector Parthasarathy and District Registrar Mahalakshmi, arrived at the scene to mediate. After discussions, the protest was called off and the crowd dispersed peacefully. The incident caused significant commotion in the area for a time.
Recent Instances Of Waqf Land Grabs
Kattukollai, Vellore
In April 2025, tensions flared in Kattukollai village of Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district after nearly 150 families received notices declaring their land as Waqf property, triggering protests and appeals to district authorities.
The notice, reportedly issued by an individual named Syed Ali Sultan Shah, claimed the land belonged to a local dargah and instructed villagers to either vacate the property or begin paying tax to the religious institution.
Thiruchendurai, Trichy
In September 2022, a rude shock awakened the villagers of Thiruchendurai in Thiruchirapalli District of Tamil Nadu. It had come to light that their entire hamlet which also consisted of a 1500-year-old Shiva temple had been declared as the property of the Waqf Board in Tamil Nadu.
Thiruparankundram, Madurai
Indian Union Muslim League member and Ramanathapuram MP Navas Kani, who also serves as the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board chairman, has claimed that the dargah at the Thirupparankundram Temple hill is Waqf property.
Peyazhwar Temple, Chennai
Tamil Nadu Waqf Board President Abdul Rahman announced that many Hindu temples are present on Waqf properties, including the 1000-years-old Peyazhwar Temple, on land allegedly owned by the Kutchery Road Mosque.
Balasamudram, Dindigul
In a striking parallel to the Thiruchendurai village land dispute, another property conflict involving the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board has come to light, this time in the Balasamudram Municipality of Dindigul district. With claims dating back to 2020, the Waqf Board asserts ownership over the entire municipality, leaving around 10,000 residents in limbo. Unable to sell their ancestral properties due to unresolved legalities, the community’s frustration culminated in a petition to local authorities in May 2023.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.