Una, July 5

A group of people owing allegiance to some Hindu organisations on Friday prevented members of the Muslim community from offering namaz at a public place in the Nangal Khurd Nagar panchayat area of Haroli subdivision.

They also uprooted tents erected by the Muslims. The SDM, Haroli, had to call the police to maintain peace.

Haroli Tehsildar Dev Raj Bhatia, who also visited the spot, said the land on which the Muslims were planning to offer namaz was the cause of the dispute. “Local Muslims used to offer namaz at this spot till 1986. The land was later transferred to the Nangal Khurd gram panchayat, which was upgraded as the nagar panchayat in 2016. While the nagar panchayat is the owner of the land in revenue records, it failed to take the possession despite written orders from the Revenue Department in 2016,” he said.

Bhatia said representatives of the local Muslim community had appealed to the Divisional Commissioner against the transfer of land to the nagar panchayat saying the matter was still pending in the Revenue Court.

Rehmat Ali of Nangal Khurd said they used to offer namaz at the site from 1984 to 1986. SP Devakar Sharma said he sent police force to ensure law and order. The situation was under control. — OC