Property Dispute / Declared Dead while Alive! Odisha Mother’s Battle against Sons’ Land Grab

Bhadrak, Aug 8: In a shocking case from Bhadrak district, an elderly woman has accused her sons of fraudulently declaring her dead to usurp her property.

The victim, Aisha Bibi of Habibnagar under Dhamnagar block, discovered the deception after returning from a pilgrimage in 2023.

According to reports, her two sons submitted false documents claiming that Aisha had died nearly 40 years ago. Based on this fabricated testimony, the local Revenue Inspector (RI) issued a report declaring her deceased. Subsequently, her house and land were transferred to her sons’ names at the government level.

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When Aisha returned from her pilgrimage, she was shocked to find her property taken over. Carrying her Aadhaar card, passport, and other valid documents, she approached various government offices to prove she was alive. She also lodged a written complaint at Dhamnagar police station.

However, with no decisive action taken against the accused, Aisha resorted to an indefinite hunger strike outside the office of Bhadrak SP Manoj Raut, demanding restoration of her land and exemplary punishment for her sons.

After assurances from the SP that her grievances would be addressed, Aisha finally called off her hunger strike.

The case certainly underscores serious lapses in verification by revenue authorities and raises questions about how fraudulent claims can override official records.