Tribal Women in Madhya Pradesh Fall at Official's Feet Pleading for Ancestral Land Justice

Bhopal:

In a distressing display highlighting the struggles of tribal communities facing land appropriation in Madhya Pradesh, two tribal women from Sheopur's Karahal block were seen falling at the feet of the local Tehsildar, desperately seeking assistance to recover their ancestral property allegedly taken by influential individuals and land mafias.

The emotional scene unfolded at the Karahal tehsil office, where Savitri Bai from Khirkhiri village came with her daughter-in-law to file another application requesting action against those who had encroached upon their land.

When Tehsildar Roshni Sheikh was departing from the office, the women, overwhelmed with despair, grasped her feet on the staircase and began weeping uncontrollably.

Witnesses reported that Savitri Bai implored the officer for help, stating, "Madam, please do something, or we will die by suicide."

The women alleged that powerful people from their village had destroyed their hut and forcibly seized the land their family had inhabited for generations, even constructing new structures on the property.

They claimed that despite filing numerous complaints with both police authorities and the tehsil office, no action had been taken to address their situation.

Touched by their desperate appeal, Tehsildar Roshni Sheikh paused on the stairs, sat down to hear the women's grievances, and promised to personally investigate their case.

She directed officials to examine the complaint alongside the local official and take swift measures to liberate the land from illegal occupation.

According to local residents and activists, this incident represents a more widespread issue throughout the Karahal tribal development block, where numerous tribal families have reportedly been fighting for years to reclaim their lands from powerful encroachers and organized land mafias.

Many claim that administrative inaction and political influence have empowered wrongdoers, abandoning marginalized communities to defend their rights alone.