Jammu
Representative organisations of displaced Kashmiri Pandits today sought constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct inquiry into the encroachment of land by government departments in the Valley after the exodus of 3.50 lakh Hindus in 1990.

The Tribune had carried a report on October 11 about the district administration allowing various departments to illegally construct offices or educational institutions on the land belonging to Pandits without taking consent of the owners and ignoring the directions of courts in this regard.

Terming it a serious issue, BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) GL Raina has written a letter to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmed Khan, seeking information about the instances of illegal encroachment of immovable properties belonging to the minority community and action taken to deter land mafia.

“If some government departments have illegally constructed infrastructure on the land belonging to the minority community, then action should be taken. A majority of them are living in Jammu. I have also received several complaints about religious properties being encroached by individuals and an organised syndicate,” said Raina, adding that he would take up the issue with the government.

“An SIT should conduct free and fair investigation. We want action against the departments which are illegally occupying the properties. There are several instances where temple properties have been illegally sold,” said TK Bhat, general secretary, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference.

Section 3 of the Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997, puts curbs on alienation of immovable property belonging to the migrants. Section 4 makes the Divisional Commissioner custodian of the immovable properties belonging to the Pandits.