Filmmaker and TV director Seetharam has sparked the largest land dispute in the area, as several farmers in Bengaluru Rural, Karnataka, said their livelihoods depend on the theft of the disputed land, with intimidation, harassment, and the destruction of their lands connected to their land.
The land dispute is that of Madagondanahalli village (Doddaballapur taluk) in India. Local people insist the land was historically held by Seetharam’s ancestors through custom and that it was sold to several farmers some years ago.
But villagers said that for technical and lack of proof, one survey number was registered under the name Seetharam through the use of a document, although the land was given up in the transaction.
Allegations of the Illegal Land Grab
To make matters worse, it was said that an alleged Rakesh had acquired a General Power of Attorney (GPA) from Seetharam after he remitted funds and forged a form for the purchase of the land. Farmers say that "the disputed land", Survey No. 61/1, Madagondanahalli village it has become a fight in law.
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Even though it is currently under trial, intimidation tactics remain on the field of battle, complain state residents.
Threat of Violence Against Farmers
The farmer says Jagadish and his family, who are reportedly living on the land, have been attacked and threatened by persons connected to the dispute. Suspected people there have reportedly used a JCB machine to destroy the sheds the farmers built on the site, the complaint said.
The families and friends remain traumatised and fear what will be done to their families in the wake of these makeshift homes being destroyed. Jagadish reached out to the rural police station in Doddaballapur for justice and safety.
Police Complaint Filed
The frustrated farmer also alleged to have, in one incident, raised a grievance against Doddaballapur Rural Police Station. The farmer is angry with Seetharam and Rakesh on both sides of the dispute. Police will investigate trespassing, property damage, intimidation and document irregularities. There has been no public response that details the actions taken after the allegations made by Seetharam.
Calls for Fair Resolution
The incident has rattled residents, including farmers who are worried that they will lose land that they say they legally purchased years ago. The villagers will insist that the dispute be resolved by legal and administrative processes to the highest degree, not by force or intimidation. The residents are also pressuring T.N. Seetharam to intervene and to negotiate a peaceful agreement openly so that the situation can be settled.
The Struggle over Land Is Still Part of Rural Life
The case reminds us that in fast urbanising centres like Bengaluru, where higher-than-normal property prices have spurred more and more conflicts over ownership and legal proceedings, more and more people are on the line. Ambiguous records in the land, survey reports and the improper use of GPA agreements all tend to lead to disputes, a further step down the road for farmers and landowners stuck in a never-ending legal process.
Once the investigation concludes, the families of the victims hope that these authorities and courts will intervene relatively quickly to bring justice and to stem more violence in the village.
