Temple encroaches on Waqf Board property in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Ahmednagar: A 40-acre land dispute in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, has emerged as the Waqf Board has complained that the Kanifnath Temple has encroached upon property designated as Waqf, historically linked to a dargah.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the land, officially registered under the Waqf Act in 2005, is intended to protect Islamic heritage properties.
The Waqf Board asserts that the temple’s expansion infringes on its legal rights and threatens the integrity of a site with deep cultural significance for the Muslim community. Board representatives emphasize that their mission is to uphold the historical and religious value of the land, which they argue has been unlawfully appropriated.
Documents tracing the dargah’s association with the land back to the pre-colonial era bolster the Waqf Board’s claim. In response to the encroachment, the Board has installed a sign asserting its ownership, a move supported by local Muslims who view it as essential to defending their religious heritage.
Community members have rallied behind the Waqf Board, seeing the dispute as part of a broader struggle to protect Islamic heritage sites amid rising concerns over encroachments on Waqf lands across India.
