Is land mafioso of Kokrajhar above the law?

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: Around 5 bighas of land belonging to the Water Resources department is being illegally grabbed by land mafioso Chandan Paul since the past three months.

BTC EM of Land Revenue and Disaster Management, Ranjit Basumatary has already visited the occupied land by Paul and asked the police administration to file a case against Paul but the police have failed to take action for reasons best known to them. Paul occupied the 5 bigha land of Water Resources after the army deserted their temporary camp three months ago. The Indian army requisitioned the land for setting up a temporary camp during the time of insurgency. Paul and his accomplices occupied the land and put barricades in the surrounding area, besides putting signboard for business establishment.

Sources said the Water Resources department had moved to reclaim the land after the BTC EM asked the district administration and the department to take action against the illegal occupation. Recently, the department concerned had started its survey and measurement and put preliminary works for boundary wall but Chandan Paul and his accomplices had vandalized the construction. The department informed the police about the matter after which a police team along with a magistrate visited the spot.

Interestingly, the police and district administration have failed to take appropriate action against land mafia Chandan Paul. The Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner recently carried out survey in 36 bighas of land belonging to Boro tribal people in the nearby areas for construction of the new DC bungalow and Circuit House but the same administration has not been able to take action against land mafia who are doing business in government land. Now the question arises - is land mafia above the law and district administration?

Meanwhile, talking to a section of media persons, former president of Kokrajhar district BJP, Santosh Tarafdar said it was unfortunate that the district administration had not been able to action against land mafia. He alleged that Paul had several records of occupying land and doing business. He also alleged that Paul had been frightening people by occupying land in Kokrajhar. He urged the Kokrajhar district administration to arrest and take action against Chandan Paul.

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