16 December,2020 07:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Anurag Kamble
People brought along bamboo sticks and ropes to mark their areas
A rumour that land would be given for free to the residents of recently-removed shanties brought nearly 500 people from various suburbs to an empty plot in Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli on December 12. Expecting land parcels as compensation, people pitched bamboo sticks or tied ropes to mark their territory, some even paid thousands to people posing as politicians taking a 'registration fee'. The local police and civic authorities have been having sleepless nights for a fortnight, trying to prevent encroachment.
Around 15 days ago, MHADA had removed 15 to 20 shanties from Khaitan compound near the 20-acre barren land in Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli. A message about land being given as compensation at the plot near Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) then went viral on WhatsApp. The next day, evicted people started marking sections of the land as their home in the wetland.
Vikhroli police guard the plot near JVLR. Pics/Rajesh Gupta
"Around five days ago, more than 500 people gathered at the spot. Everyone had put up bamboo sticks or ropes," said Dr Yogesh Bhalerao, a social worker and resident.
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"I had gone to the place to solve an altercation between the gathered crowd, civic authorities and Vikhroli police. People were counselled that a rumour brought them here and that there is no provision for free land. It had become a very tense situation as the crowd, mostly comprising women, was refusing to leave," Dr Bhalerao said.
A resident of the area told mid-day on condition of anonymity, "People had come from Powai, Sakinaka, Navi Mumbai, Dombivli and Mumbra to claim land. Many even paid R15,000-R18,000 as 'registration fee' to some men claiming to be local politicians." The BMC and police have been guarding the land since the incident.
Sunil Raut, MLA from Vikhroli, said, "I have proof that some people duped the people who had gathered there. This is a case of cheating and an attempt to encroach land. If the police don't make arrests, we will file an FIR." Raut was present when the eviction took place. "BMC and police's timely action has averted potential untoward incidents as some people had carried sickle and sticks too," Raut added.
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A patrolling party has been deputed to guard the land by Vikhroli police station. "We don't know how the message spread. We were alerted by residents about the situation. We have been guarding the plot for a fortnight," said Anil Sonawane, police inspector in charge of Vikhroli police station. He added that no complaint has been filed in the case so far.
500
Approx. no. of people that gathered on Dec 12
Rs 18k
Approx. amount fraudsters took from some people
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