Thane: Christian Community Buries 95 Year-Old Soldier In Open Plot, Residents Protest Encroachment For New Graveyard

Residents in 8 housing societies in Thane have come together against the alleged act of encroachment of open plot in the densely-populated residential area by burying a 97-year-old army man’s dead body, reports The Hindu.

The residents say that they respect the sentiments of Christian community but encroachment by unscrupulous means shouldn’t be tolerated. Christian community in the area, on the other hand, has said that if the plot is not converted to a graveyard, they will boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Residents argued that the open ground is disputed and has long been used as a playground for the children in the area.

Dattatray More, a resident of Suresh Park, told TH that the open ground is known as Jankadevi Maidan because of a temple located on it. “There is a compost pit and a small play area where slides and swings have been put up for children. It is in this corner that the burial has taken place,” said Mr. More. “It has now become a sensitive community issue.”

Melwyn Fernandes, a member of the Association of Concerned Catholics, said that while 21,000 square metres is under dispute in the High Court, 2,600 square metres is marked as a residential zone and is under the St. John the Baptist Church Trust. “We have carried out the burial in the small plot,” he said.

The residents have written to the Thane Municipal Corporation, police commissioner and other authorities and are planning to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). urging that the burial should not lead to a new cemetery on the plot.

On March 26, 11 Christian community members were arrested by the Vartak Nagar police after the Thane Municipal Corporation filed a first information report against them for carrying out a burial in a plot not marked as cemetery. They were released on bail the same day.