Revised Waqf Bill may affect over 73,000 disputed properties across India
New Delhi: The amended Waqf Bill, passed in both Houses of Parliament and now awaiting the President’s assent, is expected to impact more than 73,000 disputed Waqf properties across the country. These properties are listed in the Waqf Assets Management System of India (WAMSI), a Central government database that categorises them as encroached, alienated, or under litigation.
India has approximately 8.8 lakh Waqf properties spread across 30 states and Union Territories, many of which face legal and administrative challenges. Waqf properties are charitable or religious endowments made by Muslims and held in the name of God, although they are often used to benefit individuals or institutions.
Uttar Pradesh accounts for the highest number of such properties at around 2.4 lakh, followed by West Bengal, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are the only states with separate Sunni and Shia Waqf boards.
The revised Bill introduces a tribunal system to handle Waqf disputes, including those involving alleged illegal transfers or encroachments. The tribunal will include a District Judge and a senior state official. Many encroachments involve claims by government agencies.
In addition to dispute resolution, the Bill alters the management structure of Waqf properties by changing the composition of state Waqf boards and redefining the role of state governments. Though initially referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament after opposition protests, the final draft includes only the 14 amendments proposed by NDA members. All 44 suggestions from the Opposition were rejected.
More than two-thirds of Waqf properties include graveyards, agricultural land, mosques, shops, or residential buildings. Graveyards alone make up 17.3% of the total. The history of Waqf-related disputes includes landmark cases like the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, which remained under litigation until the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict.
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11-year-old dies by suicide after sexual assault in Bareilly; accused arrested
Bareilly (UP) (PTI): A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, who later died by suicide due to trauma, police said on Wednesday.
The post-mortem report confirmed sexual assault and multiple injuries on the minor's body, including bite marks and nail scratches. The cause of death was found to be hanging, they said.
According to ASP (South) Anshika Verma, the incident came to light on 27 April, when the girl, a Class 8 student, was found hanging at her home in Deoria Abdullaganj village under the Mirganj police station area. Initially, the family reported the death as suicide and was reluctant to pursue police action.
"The autopsy report changed the course of the investigation. It confirmed sexual assault and noted severe physical trauma. The cause of death was confirmed as hanging," Verma said.
A breakthrough in the case came from the statement of the victim's younger sister, who told police that the accused, Zeeshan (26), a resident of the same village, frequently loitered near the minor's school and allegedly gave her small sums of money to keep his interactions with her a secret, she said.
Police said that on the day of the incident, the accused allegedly lured the minor and assaulted her. Distressed by the incident, the child later took her own life while her mother was away, police said.
"Based on technical surveillance, CCTV footage, and statements from the family, we established Zeeshan's involvement. He was arrested near the Mirganj weekly market on Tuesday," they said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
