Building material dumped on the disputed land belonging to the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur. Picture by Prakash Kumar

Muzaffarpur, March 16: Land mafia have sold off land belonging to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), a premier medical institution in north Bihar, producing fake documents.

So far, the mafia have fraudulently sold off 9.82 acres belonging to the medical college that has a sprawling premises and a large portion of unutilised land against fake documents.

SKMCH principal D.K. Sinha told The Telegraph: “The land mafia have clan-destinely grabbed 9.82 acres of unutilised land of SKMCH. This came to our notice when we spotted several strangers loitering on the land claiming to have purchased it.”

The principal rushed an SOS to the health department and Tirhut divisional commissioner S.M. Raju, who is also the chairman of the SKMCH monitoring committee, for immediate intervention.

“District magistrate Santosh Kumar Mall and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Kumar too have been requested to save the SKMCH land from the land-grabbers,” said the principal.

Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said the land mafia’s misdeeds had come to notice during an anti-encroachment drive by the hospital and district administration.

“A probe is on in the case and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. We cannot let any outsider squat on the college premises or grab its land,” he said.

Gauging the foul play, Ahiyapur police station house officer (SHO) Amrendra Jha intensified patrolling on the said portion of SKMCH land and deputed two constables on it. “Constables have been deployed to check the possibility of illegal construction on the land,” said Jha.

When The Telegraph team visited the disputed land, it noticed bricks and mounds of cement and sand lying dumped on various spots.

Admitting having received the SKMCH principal’s petition, sub-divisional officer (SDO) (East) Rajesh Bharti said he has directed the Mushahri block circle officer (CO) to issue a ban order on the mutation of the said land.

“Land mafia have so far sold 9.82 acres by producing fake ownership documents. Those who masterminded the sale of government land would not be spared. The CO has been asked to verify the original documents of the land and submit a detailed report,” the SDO said.

On the other hand, the Tirhut divisional commissioner said he has asked the authorities concerned to take drastic action against whosoever plotted the usurp of SKMCH land and its subsequent sale.

“This is a very serious matter. Land mafia would not be allowed to grab SKMCH land by fraudulent means,” the divisional commissioner said.