JAMMU, Jan 11: Ex Ministers RS Chib , Gharu Ram and DDC Member TS Tony said Accountability Must Be Fixed, No One Above Law, welcomed new inquiry committee headed bv IAS officer Vidhu Shekhar.
The Press statement with Cross Town News reads " The controversy surrounding the alleged illegal transfer of land attached to the revered Peer Baba shrine at Badyal Qazian has taken a grave and alarming turn, with local cultivators alleging direct threats to their lives and approaching the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Jammu, seeking immediate police protection.
According to official records, a written complaint titled “Threat to Our Lives” was submitted by residents of Badyal Qazian to the SP Headquarters, Jammu. Acting promptly, the SP Headquarters Jammu forwarded the complaint to the SHO, Police Station R S Pura, directing necessary legal action and submission of an early Action Taken Report (ATR), as per the official communication dated January 10, 2026.
In their complaint, the cultivators—who claim to have been cultivating and managing the Peer Baba land for over three generations purely for religious purposes—allege that ever since the land issue surfaced, they are being continuously intimidated, abused and threatened, allegedly by land grabbers operating in connivance with certain revenue officials and sections of the local administration.
The complainants have expressed serious apprehension of physical harm, stating that sharp-edged weapons and even firearms could be used against them to silence resistance and forcibly evict them from the sacred land. They have further alleged caste-based abuse, coercion and pressure tactics, claiming attempts are being made to stop them from pursuing legal and administrative remedies.
The escalation comes days after former ministers, senior political leaders and elected representatives staged a massive protest in R S Pura, accusing SDM R S Pura, Anuradha Thakur, of allegedly manipulating land and Waqf-related records to benefit “blue-eyed individuals” and of shielding beneficiaries instead of ordering an impartial probe.
Protesters reiterated that the Peer Baba land is religious, sacred and non-transferable, traditionally managed by cultivators, with offerings used solely for religious congregations and upkeep of the shrine. They alleged that once the land acquired prime commercial value, questionable demarcation exercises and record alterations were initiated to pave the way for illegal transfers.
With cultivators now formally seeking police protection, the issue has transcended an administrative dispute and has become a serious law-and-order, human rights and religious-faith matter. Locals allege that instead of safeguarding traditional cultivators, revenue authorities and parts of the administration are fostering an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The complainants have categorically warned that any untoward incident will be the direct responsibility of the officials named in the complaint, urging immediate intervention before the situation spirals out of control.
Meanwhile, the Divisional Commissioner has ordered a formal enquiry, constituting a committee headed by ADC (IAS) Vidhu Shekhar. The earlier enquiry committee was abolished after allegations surfaced that some revenue officials themselves were involved in the irregularities, raising serious concerns over conflict of interest.
Former Cabinet minister R S Chib said the situation reflects a complete breakdown of administrative ethics, adding “When people guarding religious land are forced to approach police fearing for their lives, it exposes the rot in the system. This is not governance; this is misuse of power. The administration must answer why complainants are being threatened instead of protected.”
Former Minister Gharu Ram Choudhary, reacting sharply, said “Threatening third-generation cultivators of sacred Peer Baba land is nothing short of an assault on faith, tradition and justice. If religious land is grabbed through intimidation and record manipulation, it will not be tolerated. Those responsible, irrespective of rank, must be booked.”
DDC Suchetgarh Taranjit Singh Tony strongly condemned the alleged threats and accused the R S Pura administration of creating a ‘fear psychosis’ “Instead of ordering a fair inquiry, pressure is allegedly being mounted on cultivators to withdraw complaints. This reeks of collusion between land mafia and officials. We demand exemplary action and a complete overhaul of the R S Pura administration.”
The leaders welcomed the formation of the new enquiry committee, but cautioned that only a transparent and time-bound probe would restore public confidence. They appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Secretary and senior police officials to intervene personally.
Civil society members and village representatives have echoed these concerns, urging the administration to ensure immediate police protection to cultivators, safeguard religious land, and dismantle what they describe as a growing land-mafia–administration nexus in the region." 
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