Subhechcha Ganguly 
According to a Times Now report, the Waqf Board claimed ownership of about seven Hindu-dominated villages and even temples in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. The villagers presented documents demonstrating that the land has belonged to them for many generations in response to the Waqf Board’s claims. Notably, the Waqf Board has distributed flyers throughout the villages asserting their ownership of the land. A temple with a 1500-year history was also claimed by the Waqf.
When a local tried to sell his farmland, the nearby villagers were shocked. According to a report by India Today, the man, Rajagopal, was informed by the neighbourhood authorities that his 1.2-acre plot of land belonged to the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board and that in order to sell it, he needed to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the board. Additionally, a 20-page document allegedly belonging to the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board and claiming ownership of the land was given to him by the sub-office registrar. Rajagopal was perplexed by this information regarding his own property and searched through his property records but couldn’t find any claims of this nature.
The Waqf Board, which asserts to own 389 acres of land in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy district, said the allotment was made following a government-approved survey in 1954 despite confusion over land ownership in 18 villages. Villagers who found no merit in the claim formed a line outside the district administration office.
There was no information on Muslims residing in the area, records indicated that a resettlement occurred in 1927–1928, and no evidence of Muslims owning real estate nearby could be found.The Waqf Board, however, sent a 20-page letter to 12 registration offices in Trichy asserting ownership of lands in various districts.
