In yet another controversial move, the Telangana Waqf Board (TGWB) has issued a fresh notice under the Waqf Act, 1995, targeting Niranjan Bai, a resident of Kumarguda, Secunderabad, accusing her of encroaching upon Waqf land. The board has directed her to appear before the Chief Executive Officer on March 17, 2025, with documents proving her ownership—failing which the case will be referred to the Waqf Tribunal for further action.
The notice, dated March 11, 2025, cites two previous warnings—one on December 30, 2023, and another on January 31, 2025. Despite being asked to submit evidence supporting her ownership claim, Niranjan Bai allegedly did not provide an explanation within the given timeframe. However, she did appear before the TGWB office on February 4, 2025, and submitted an application.
According to local reports, the notice was delivered to three residences adjacent to the allegedly masjid.
This development has drawn attention due to its proximity to Masjid Haji Lal Mohammed, the same area where Salman Saleem Thakur vandalised the Muthyallamma temple in October 2024. CCTV footage captured him desecrating the temple, smashing idols, and fleeing the scene, triggering widespread outrage.
In a shocking hate crime early on October 14, the Goddess Muthyalamma Temple in Secunderabad’s Kummari Guda area near Monda Market was attacked, sparking deep unrest within the Hindu community.https://t.co/HzltXOFvdu
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) October 14, 2024
Though the state police initially dismissed the temple attack as a petty act of vandalism, claiming the accused was mentally retarded, this Waqf notice suggests a larger conspiracy—including the alleged sheltering of accused individuals in the same mosque-adjacent houses now facing Waqf Board claims.
Critics argue that the Waqf Board’s aggressive stance is part of a larger pattern of land-grabbing tactics under the guise of ‘Waqf property’ claims.
Locals fear that the Waqf Board’s sudden interest in Niranjan Bai’s property is not merely a legal dispute but a calculated move to displace non-Muslim residents in the area. Critics allege that such Waqf claims are part of a broader attempt to expand religious control over disputed lands, using legal pressure and bureaucratic harassment to oust longstanding property owners.
