Aligarh, The Aligarh Municipal Corporation has allegedly taken over a more than 3.8-acre prime plot of land, valued at around ₹500 crore, purportedly belonging to the Aligarh Muslim University , with its vice-chancellor describing the move as "forcible occupation".
Municipal officials on Thursday evening started fencing the land, and put up a signboard at the site, following which a team of AMU officials led by Vice-Chancellor Prof Naima Khatoon reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
Khatoon described the action as an "unwarranted and unacceptable step", saying the university would challenge it in Supreme Court.
"This is simply forcible occupation of a plot of land which legally belongs to a historic centre of higher learning in the country and we have all legal documents dating back to more than a century to prove our ownership," she said.
The vice-chancellor questioned the civic body's decision to take over the land without serving any notice to the university.
Even in cases where land is being illegally occupied, authorities must issue a notice to the occupant before taking action, she asserted.
However, Municipal Commissioner Prem Prakash Meena said the civic body has records showing that the plot has belonged to it for the past 40 years.
{{/usCountry}}However, Municipal Commissioner Prem Prakash Meena said the civic body has records showing that the plot has belonged to it for the past 40 years.
{{/usCountry}}"As per our records, since the past forty years, this plot of land has belonged to us," Meena told reporters, adding that the civic body plans to shortly start construction of key urban projects on the land.
AMU Proctor Naved Khan said the ownership dispute had been pending before a sub-divisional magistrate since 2023, and the university had submitted all relevant documents.
"The matter has been pending with the local SDM since 2023 and we have already produced all documents including the official notification of the United Provinces Government dated June 13, 1923, when this land was officially allotted to us and all other official records," Khan told PTI.
He said based on discussions with senior district officials, he was hopeful that an amicable solution would be found soon.
In a related development, an emergency meeting of the AMU Teachers' Association was held to discuss the land takeover.
AMUTA president Tufail Ahmad said the university stakeholders were taking the matter seriously and would approach senior authorities, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, for justice.
"If need arises we will approach the higher courts," he said.
The Resident Doctors Association of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU, has also passed a resolution demanding a high-level probe by the central government into the ownership dispute.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.