Umerkot temple in eye of property dispute

SUKKUR: An attempt was made on Thursday to stir Hindu religious sentiments over an apparent disputed ownership of the Akharo Temple land in Umerkot.

Haloo Maharaj claiming to be the caretaker of Akharo Temple, Umerkot, accused Ratan Malhi, who owns an ice factory near the temple, of damaging idols on Wednesday night. The issue stirred the local Hindu community who gathered at the temple prompting police deployment to avert any untoward situation. Maharaj asked the government to get all plots and shops of the temple vacated.

Ratan Malhi, on the other hand, claimed that Akharo Temple does not have any designated caretaker for the last 20 years since the death of Mithoo Gir who was its caretaker. Malhi claimed that following Gir’s death, his son, Nand Gir, and widow Haloo Gir maintained the temple and started to sell the temple land unlawfully at which various Hindu communities led by him raised objections and tried to stop them. In 2012, Nand Gir sold out 8,000 square feet of a government plot misguiding the buyer Haji Hafeez Arain that it was the temple’s property. Ratan said he fought the case in the courts over a long period of time and finally got the land vacated.

Ratan said he has now approached the Municipal Committee and district government Umerkot to allot the 8,000 square feet govt property to Gaushala (cows worship place). They have also promised to build a boundary wall to secure the plot once the budget is released.

Ratan further alleged that Nand Gir, and his mother Haloo Gir, sold 30 shops belonging to the temple to different parties as well as a piece of temple’s prime property to Dharamdas Bethlani and made a fortune.

Considering Ratan to be hindrance against the land mafia bent on selling the plot, on Wednesday night Nand Gir, along with Jeewat Gir, Lal Gir, Than Gir, a commission agent Dilbar Bhayo and Kando, damaged the idols in the Akharo Temple and blamed him for the transgression to make him the target of public wrath. Ratan said the plot in question is not the property of the temple but that of Seth Sawai Mal Malhi.