The controversial plot of land at Ranikudar in Bistupur. Picture by Bhola Prasad.

Jamshedpur, Nov. 28: A plot of land at Ranikudar in Bistupur has become the bone of contention yet again between builders and residents.

An altercation between the two parties over construction on the disputed site was about to take a violent turn. Timely police intervention, however, helped control the situation.

The police confiscated building material, including shovels, crowbars and other equipment from the site, and threatened to initiate action if a fresh attempt to resume construction work was made without settling the dispute.

Suspicion arose in the minds of residents when a group of labourers, including women, began digging hastily on a plot behind the Hanuman Temple in Ranikuddar. Within an hour, the labourers, around 20, had made considerable progress — good enough to lay a foundation for a single-storeyed building.

This raised suspicion among the residents, who mobilised support and tried to stop the construction work.

Not only did they stop the digging, but also refilled the trench that was dug up.

As the commotion increased and the situation took a turn for the worse, the Bistupur police led by inspector B.B. Sinha arrived on the spot. Additional police force was also called from the Kadma police station.

Having giving a brief hearing to both parties, Sinha said, the group that wants to construct on the plot has to produce necessary papers in support of the allotment and bring it to the police station. He also confiscated the digging equipment.

Rajendra Prasad, a local resident, pointed out that this was the second attempt to construct on the plot. The ground was usually used by children and during festive celebrations like Holi.

“Had we known the real purpose of the construction, we would not have stopped it. the builder told us the real But we neither know who is responsible for the digging nor what is being constructed,” said Prasad.

Local MLA Saryau Roy had plans to set up a community hall on the site if the administration gave its nod to the proposal. No one from the builder’s group was available for comment. Sinha maintained that work will remain suspended till the builder produces relevant papers.

Three months ago, a similar row had cropped up between a Delhi-based company and Maithili Sanskritik Parishad over a plot of land near the Voltas Building of the city.