CM lays foundation stone in Jan, encroachers raze wall

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unidentified people encroached on a one-acre revenue land near Ambalamukku at Peroorkada in which the chief minister had laid foundation stone to build Revenue Bhavan in Jan.

Thirty huge trees, many of them centuries old, were cut and the timber of them worth Rs 10 lakhs smuggled. Boundary wall was demolished, and a good portion of the plot was filled using debris.

Staffers of Peroorkada village office noticed the boundary wall was demolished when they passed by the area. Soon the village officer was alerted, and he visited the site only to find the encroachment under the nose of the state administrative centre.

The village officer soon reconstructed the boundary wall, and a gate was also placed. However, it is yet to be known who encroached on the revenue land and for what purpose.

On the complaint of the village officer, Darsan Vishwanath L, a case was registered under IPC section 447 for criminal trespass and 427 for mischief causing damage, and under Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act-1984 section 3(1).

"I have no clue who encroached on the land. Police have registered a case, and they will have to find out. A path of six-metre width was also seen made through the land. We assume the violation has taken place just days ago. There is a plantation adjacent to the site, which is owned by a trust while houses occupy the other surrounding areas," said the village officer.

Peroorkada station house officer said details of the encroachment would be known only when the investigation progresses.

"The village officer has not raised any suspicion about any person or group or organization behind the encroachment. We will have to find out who is behind it and for what," said the officer.