Land encroachment: ''Dangal'' girls lodge complaint in Rajasthan

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 24 

Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat, the wrestler sisters from Haryana who were inspiration behind Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s film ‘Dangal’, have approached a police station in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan for removal of encroachment over land belonging to their mother’s parental family.

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A complaint signed by Geeta and Babita has been lodged in Buhana Police Station of Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan on June 23 accusing villagers Kirpal Singh, Dalip Singh, Attar Singh, Vidya Dhar and Sanjay of forcibly making way on their agriculture land bearing Khasra number 49, 51, 71 and 73 situated in Jaitpur village of the district.

“They frequent regularly on tractors and vehicle on the illegal way made on our fields and in the process damage our crops. If we try to stop them, they hurl abuses on us and threaten to harm us physically,” says the complaint.

In their complaints, Geeta and Babita have mentioned that they were residents of Balali village of Charkhi Dadri district and their father was a Dronacharya awardee and they themselves were Arjuna awardees.

The wrestler sisters said in their complaint that they had played in Commonwealth, Asian and Olympic Games and have brought many gold medals for the country.

“Our mother Daya Kaur daughter of Amar Singh is born in Jaitpur (Jhunjhunu) village and the family’s agricultural land is also situated there,” the complaint further says.

Though Geeta and Babita could not be contacted, their father Mahabir Phogat confirmed that his daughters had lodged the complaint with the police since their maternal uncles were being threatened by the accused who had encroached upon their land.

He said both Geeta and Babita were in Bahalgarh in Sonepat district today where they normally practice for their game.

Bijender Singh Chaudhary, SHO of the Buhana Police Station in Jhunjhunu district, said though Geeta and Babita did not visit the police station, a complaint signed by them has been given by Hukam Pal, son of Amar Singh, who is maternal uncle of the girls.

“It is an old pathway on the agricultural fields and the persons named in the complaint are also from Hukam Pal’s extended family who have no other way to approach their fields,” said the SHO.