Six Ballari corporation officials suspended over kabristan land row

Ballari: Six officials of the Ballari city corporation were suspended in connection with the alleged encroachment and illegal transfer of kabristan (Muslim community burial ground) land along Bengaluru Road in the city.The action followed allegations by Srinivas Motkar, leader of opposition from BJP in the city corporation, that around 11.5 acres of land, historically used as a kabristan and said to belong to the Waqf Board, was transferred to private individuals through disputed Form-2 approvals.The suspensions marked a significant administrative step as investigations intensified. The revenue department reportedly cancelled the contested property entries, and 2 FIRs were registered, 1 related to alleged encroachment of waqf land and another concerning irregularities in the transfer process.The issue gained political traction after BJP leaders alleged a large-scale property scam and accused certain officials of collusion in facilitating the change of records. They demanded a thorough probe into how land classified as kabristan was altered in official documents.Officials are verifying land records, examining how Form-2 approvals were issued, and determining whether any forgery or misuse of authority occurred. Police are also probing the role of individuals who may have benefited from the alleged illegal transfer.