“This land belongs to us”: Pahariya janjati fights illegal encroachment by Muslims from ‘outside’ in Jharkhand’s Pakur

A tense standoff unfolded in Maheshpur, a block in Jharkhand’s Pakur district, as a land dispute erupted between Muslims and janjati (tribal) people near the Peer Mazar area. Members of the tribal Pahariya community protested against illegal construction activities carried out by individuals from West Bengal. The dispute attracted police and administrative intervention to defuse the situation.

The Incident

The confrontation began when a person allegedly from ‘outside’ (West Bengal, as per Jagran report in the newspaper Santhal edition, dated December 28, 2024) began constructing a structure using tin sheets and scrap materials on government land below the Peer Mazar. According to villagers from the Pahariya tribe, the construction was undertaken without any administrative permission. This triggered a heated reaction from the tribal community, who accused the Muslim individuals of attempting to encroach upon the land under the pretext of a religious fair (Urs) scheduled for February 4 next year.

‘This is nothing but a conspiracy to capture our land. They think they can hide their motives behind the guise of the upcoming fair,’ said a person from Pahariya community elder who wished to remain anonymous.

Allegations of Encroachment

The Pahariya community’s representatives voiced concerns over a pattern of encroachments in the area. They claimed that individuals from outside the region, particularly West Bengal, have been illegally fencing off land and erecting structures under various pretexts. A tribal leader commented, ‘This land belongs to us. These repeated attempts to take over our ancestral land must stop.’

The community’s frustration was palpable, with several individuals calling out the lack of prior consultation or notification regarding the construction.

A Larger Issue?

The incident has sparked conversations about land disputes and tensions between Muslims and tribals in the region. The Pahariya community’s grievances highlight a deeper struggle over land rights and the preservation of tribal heritage.

What Organiser found on the ground?

Land grabbing remains a persistent issue in Jharkhand, particularly in the historically significant Santhal Pargana region, known for its tribal heritage. This region, comprising districts such as Sahibganj, Pakur, Dumka, Godda, and Deoghar, has been at the centre of political discourse. Ahead of the assembly polls, Organiser reported from the ground, highlighting concerns raised by the BJP about illegal Bangladeshi settlements allegedly altering the local demographic landscape. The JMM-led government, however, has dismissed these claims as exaggerated, accusing the BJP of stoking fear for political gain.

Our journey through Sahibganj district took us to several villages, including Mansingha, Rajmahal, Udhiya, and Piyarpur. In each of these, the demographics stood stark: with Muslim populations exceeding 15,000 in each village. Astonishingly, not a single Hindu family was found in these villages. In Uttar Palasgachi, a village with about 11,000 Muslim residents, only 35 Hindu families remain. For nearly seven kilometres, we did not encounter a single Hindu house; instead, mosques and madrasas dotted the landscape every three kilometres. It felt different from Bharat as we know it, with a distinctively different social structure. In each household, groups of five or six women sat preparing beedis, while clusters of 15-16 children played nearby, some of them in such poverty that they lacked basic clothing.

Similarly, we had been to Gopinathpur, a Hindu village located amid surrounding Muslim bastis. “Turn around, and wherever you look, you will only see Muslims. We are surrounded by them—North, West, East, and South,” shared a local villager, highlighting the isolation felt by the Hindu community in Gopinathpur.

“The whole village votes for the BJP. We have over 300 Hindu households here and only one Muslim family,” he said. His concerns, however, went beyond political allegiance. He expressed a rare plea for security: “We want a Central Force unit stationed in the village.”

This unusual demand for a Central Force deployment unit stemmed from a violent Hindu-Muslim clash that erupted around five months earlier. The incident began when Hindu villagers objected to the lone Muslim family in the village slaughtering a cow on their land. The tension reached a peak on June 17, the day of Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha), when members of the Muslim family slaughtered a cow on a Hindu villager’s property.

Current Status

After mediating between the two sides, the local authorities managed to calm the situation. Both communities agreed to remove the unauthorized construction following the fair’s conclusion. SDPO Vijay Kumar assured that further measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

Administrative Intervention

The escalating tensions lead to action from the local administration. Deputy Superintendent of Police (SDPO) Vijay Kumar, Circle Officer (CO) Sanjay Kumar Sinha, and Maheshpur Police Station in-charge Vikarna Kumar arrived at the site with a police force to investigate the matter and restore order.

Speaking to reporters, CO Sanjay Kumar Sinha stated, “No administrative permission had been sought for the construction of shops or houses near the Peer Mazar. Both parties have now agreed to remove the structures once the fair concludes.”

SDPO Vijay Kumar added, “The dispute was resolved through discussions with the villagers. Strict instructions have been issued to ensure that the illegal construction is removed after the fair ends. No unauthorized activity will be permitted.”