Tension grips SAS Nagar over burial of body
Tension prevailed in Phase 9, SAS Nagar, after the members of two communities had a heated arguments over the burial of a Muslim woman here on Thursday morning.
Tension prevailed in Phase 9, SAS Nagar, after the members of two communities had a heated arguments over the burial of a Muslim woman here on Thursday morning.
The area residents claimed it was illegal but the leader of the Muslim community claimed that the burial ground belonged to the Wakf Board, adding that the community members from Kumbra village have been burying the bodies here.
No sooner the body was brought for burial, the area residents raised objections, following which the community members got enraged and the district administration along with police had to intervene.
It was at about 4 pm that the body was buried in Phase 9 after many rounds of heated arguments between the two communities.
“This land has been earmarked as graveyard and we are here for burial which is our right. We are already in court seeking allocation of an alternate site and we will honour whatever court will decide, but we cannot be deprived of our right till then,”said Abdul Khan, a resident of Kumbra.
Parkashwati, local councillor opposing the burial, said, “The burial ground has ceased to exist as this area has been developed as residential. Alternative site has been earmarked in Balongi so the burial ceremony should take place there, not here in the open land in front of the houses.”
SAS Nagar SP, city, Gagan Ajit Singh said, “There is a court case going on in regards to the burial ground and the members of both the communities have agreed to wait for the order. The body was buried in Phase 9 with the consent of both the sides.”
The dispute
This is not the first time when there has been dispute between the two communities over the graveyard. As there was no designated place for burial in Mohali, the issue had led to several tense moments with police having a tough time to pacify people. For last over 20 years, Muslims as well as Christians are demanding place for graveyard which will benefit around 35,000 people, including around 15,000 members of Christian community and 20,000 of Muslim community in the SAS Nagar district. GMADA had allocated a 5 acre land in Balongi but the graveyard there is under construction.