An intense conflict erupted in UP's Fatehpur over a tomb believed by some to be a temple site of worship. The Hindu faction argues the land belongs to Hindus, asserting the tomb was formerly a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Shiva. Conversely, the Muslim faction asserts it's the burial place of Aurangzeb's officer Abdul Samad and his son Abu Bakr. Let's delve into this complex dispute, and how the tomb became a revered national heritage site.
Historical insights from the British regime reveal that between 1927 and 1928, a legal dispute over 28 bighas of land in Fatehpur was recorded between two landlord families—Lal Girdhari Lal Rastogi and the Mansingh family. On August 14, 1928, the British court granted plot numbers 751/752/754 to Lal Girdhari Lal Rastogi and plot number 753 to the Mansingh family. Plot number 753 encompassed an area of 1.7650 hectares, equating to 189,983 square feet.
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On December 30, 1970, descendant Shakuntala Mansingh sold plot number 753 to Ramnaresh Singh. Subsequently, Ramnaresh Singh commenced plotting sales. According to the SDM Fatehpur's report dated July 10, 2014, Singh had sold 1.5890 hectares to the public.
Asserting claims over the tomb of Aurangzeb's officer Abdul Samad and his son Abu Bakr, the Muslim faction filed a case in the SDM court in 2007 (Case No. 26/2007). Mohammed Anis represented the Muslim faction against Ramnaresh Singh. On April 20, 2012, the court nullified Singh's claim, affirming Mangi Tomb as a national property recording Mohammed Anis of Abu Nagar as its caretaker. Currently, Fatehpur's land registry deems plot number 753 as Mangi Tomb (a national property) under caretaker Mohammed Anis.
Source: aajtak
In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board registered this Waqf property under Waqf number 1635, designating it as Waqf Land, Tomb of Abdul Samad, and Abu Mohammed, appointing Abu Hurairah as the caretaker following Mohammed Anis.
In a proactive move, Mohammed Anis filed a petition on August 29, 2013, with the Allahabad High Court, urging intervention against illicit land occupation on plot number 753. The court, led by then Chief Justice Devise Chandrachud, mandated the Fatehpur district administration to halt illegal encroachments, upholding lawful rulings.
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The SDM Fatehpur's investigation confirmed that prior to the case, Ramnaresh Singh divided plot number 753 and sold land parcels. The report disclosed that the total area of plot number 753 is 1.7650 hectares, where 0.5890 hectares have houses constructed, foundations dug in 1.000 hectares, the Mangi Tomb built on 0.0600 hectares, and approximately 12,486 square feet (0.1160 hectares) remain unoccupied—controlled by caretaker Anis Ahmed.
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Tensions soar in Fatehpur's Abu Nagar area over the disputed site housing both a temple and tomb. Hindu organizations claim it is a temple once dedicated to Lord Shiva and Krishna. The Muslim side believes it to be Nawab Abdul Samad's tomb. Recently, a large assembly of Hindu factions forcibly entered the tomb, causing destruction, exacerbating tensions. The authorities have deployed significant forces and taken stern actions against rioters. FIRs filed implicate members from BJP, SP, and Hindu organizations.
