Tension gripped Balianwali village after residents gheraoed the local police station, detaining the Maur DSP, SHO, and other personnel. They protested a “disputed” plot adjoining the police station, claiming it belongs to the panchayat.
Villagers tried to take possession, but police stopped them, sparking anger. DSP Kuldeep Singh Brar said the land’s been in police possession since the 1990s, used as a residential quarter. “If villagers claim ownership, they need written proof from the Panchayat Department or District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) orders,” he said, adding that the land falls within the ‘lal lakir’.
Sarpanch Sukhpal Kaur countered that the land was allotted to a ‘laangari’ and is now vacant. “Police want to take over without proof,” she claimed.
Panchayat member Harinder Singh Mann recalled a similar dispute in 2020, claiming the land was decided in the panchayat’s favour. Protesters demanded the police station entrance be shifted, questioning why it hasn’t happened.
Additional force was called in, and the protest continued.
