THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, May 6: Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s directive to the state police to curb and contain the activities of ‘Bhoo mafia’ comes amid a rise in land-related disputes and allegations of forcible land grabbing across Jharkhand.
Police officials and residents say cases involving illegal occupation of plots, coercion, intimidation, and forged land documents have increased in several districts, including Palamu.
Lawyer Alleges Attempt to Grab 5 Acres of Land in Daltonganj
Senior lawyer Akshay Kumar Singh, during a recent press conference at the Palamu Bar Association office, alleged that land mafia elements were attempting to grab his five-acre property located on the outskirts of Daltonganj.
According to Singh, the land has been under his possession for nearly three decades through a registered deed, locally known as a Kebala. He claimed that attempts are now being made to reclaim the property using fake and forged documents.
The lawyer alleged that the administration should thoroughly scrutinise the documents being used in the dispute.
“Police Response Has Been Zero,” Claims Lawyer
Expressing dissatisfaction over police action, Singh claimed that his written complaint against the identified land mafia members had not been registered.
“The police didn’t do anything. My written complaint regarding the identified land mafia has not been registered. It is painful,” he said.
He further alleged that indirect threats were being issued to force him to withdraw from the land.
“I am being threatened through others who ask me to give up my legitimate land for the safety of my family. But I will protect my land through all legal means,” Singh added.
The lawyer also accused the town police of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards the petition he filed in March 2026.
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Similar Land Disputes Emerging in Palamu
Sources said Singh’s case is not an isolated one. A homoeopathic doctor from Nawa Toli locality in Daltonganj, whose joint family owns a large parcel of land under Chainpur police station limits, is reportedly facing a similar dispute involving alleged land mafia activities.
SP Says Land Disputes Often Stem From Administrative Lapses
Palamu Superintendent of Police (SP) Kapil Chaudhary described land disputes as a chronic issue in the district and attributed many such cases to poor handling of land-related processes at the initial stage.
He said disputes often arise due to issues related to mapee (measurement), mutation, and dakhal kabja (possession).
“The land issue, when it grows into a severe problem, is brought before the police with expectations of immediate intervention. However, the role of police in land disputes is limited and governed by law,” the SP said.
He clarified that police primarily intervene when land disputes threaten public order or create law-and-order situations.
Police Cannot Decide Land Ownership: SP
“Police cannot decide the title of land or determine possession or dispossession unless there is court intervention,” Chaudhary said.
He added that many people wrongly assume police personnel will supervise construction activities like boundary wall construction.
“Police step in only when construction or demolition creates a threat to public peace or law and order,” he explained.
The SP urged residents facing harassment from illegal land operators to approach the police, assuring that action would be taken within the legal framework.