[Reader-list] From reel life to real life

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

*From reel life to real life*
*Statesman News Service*

Link:
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=168064

*JAMMU, Aug 29:* Remember the film Khosla Ka Ghonsla where Kher spends all
his savings to buy a piece of land which was grabbed by a land mafia. When
he runs from pillar to post for justice, the top cops tell him they can
mediate and get him good money for the land.
The movie it seems, has been replicated in Kashmir. A displaced Kashmiri
Pandit woman is fighting a similar battle to save her property in Sopore,
North Kashmir from land mafias and police who are allegedly are protecting
the culprits.
Mrs Vijay Bindroo inspite of owning a huge tract of land in New Sopore
Colony, now lives in makeshift camps for Kashmiri Pandit migrants in New
Delhi. "A well-wisher informed that our property, worth Rs 2.5 crore, had
been sold by Mr Sayed Mohd Fareed, a resident of Shahabad, Anantnag," she
told a Press conference today. Mr Fareed, a relative of former CM Mr Mufti
Sayeed had forged the signatures of Mrs Bindroo's husband Chaman Lal and
prepared documents supporting the sale of the land. Threatening the couple,
he asked them not to fuss over the issue as "he had a strong political clout
and knew a few militants too." Even police officers including Mr Dilbagh
Singh, IG, crime and railways, allegedly told her that he would get her a
good price for this land. "Mr Singh told me that as Kashmiri Pandits would
not return why I wanted to retain my land," she said. J&K forensic
department reports said the signatures on the documents were genuine and the
case was referred to Chandigarh whose reports said clearly that the
signatures were forged.
When contacted, IG Mr Singh said he did not remember the details of the case
while Mr Sunil Sharma, DIG crime and railways, refused to comment on the
issue. Mr Vinod Pandit, chairman of All Parties Migrant Coordination
Committee said an Act was passed in the LA as the J&K Migrant Immovable
Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint of Distress Sales Act
1997), but the lands are still being sold clandestinely in Kashmir.



*--
Aditya Raj Kaul
Blog: www.kauladityaraj.blogspot.com
Website: www.adityarajkaul.tk*