Another attempt by miscreants to grab land of school owned by NRIs

The fear of Canada-based NRI Amandeep Singh and his wife Urvashi Sandhu came true when several miscreants with covered faces made another attempt to grab their ancestral property where a private school has been running for the past over four decades.

Miscreants damaged the CCTV cameras installed on the school premises before demolishing boundary wall of the institution’s ground in the wee hours today. They also damaged property of the school.

“The school staff and children are scared after the incident. We have been regularly getting threats about grabbing the school ground, besides damaging and stealing property of the institution located on Ram Tirath Road here,” said Amandeep Singh while talking to The Tribune over phone.

At 12.30 am, miscreants entered the school premises, damaged the property and broke the CCTV cameras installed in the complex, Amandeep said. Later, miscreants demolished boundary wall of the school ground and attempted to construct a structure illegally on the school premises, he alleged. All this happened, despite registration of an FIR with the NRI wing of the Punjab Police, he said. Earlier, miscreants had attempted to grab the school property in mid-September this year, he said.

“We are concerned about safety of the school, staff and students. We feel helpless against land grabbers who have the backing of politicians,” he said. Amandeep has once again written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to seek his immediate intervention into the matter.

Dr Avtar Singh, a former professor at Khalsa College, started the school in 1980s after returning from Canada with a mission to provide quality education to poor kids in the rural belt. The school is affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board. Two years ago, he passed away.

Amandeep said his elderly mother was unable to run the school. So, the family had entrusted the task to his father’s friend Davinder Sandhu for the time being, he said. He said the land grab mafia had tried to manipulate the school’s land records in order to grab its property. Two months ago, a group of miscreants had broken the school lock and tried to take possession of its property illegally.

Urvashi Sandhu said the police station under whose jurisdiction the school fell, was under the influence of miscreants. She said policemen were harassing them. Today, the police picked up several persons from the spot, but later they were let off, she said. “The police have recorded my statement, but yet to register an FIR in this connection,” she said.

AIG (NRI) Jagjit Singh Walia said, “The NRI police station has already registered an FIR in this regard. Suspects have joined investigation and further probe is on. Whatever occurred last night is an illegal act. The police are taking appropriate measures in this connection.”