KOLHAPUR: Maharashtra’s Satara district administration on Thursday demolished unauthorized structures on government land near the tomb of Afzal Khan, a general of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, amid heavy security.

According to the local reports, the anti-encroachment drive began at around 6 in the morning after around 1,800 police personnel from four districts namely Satara, Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur, and Sangli Rural reached the police sub-divisional office at Wai. The officers reached the office on Wednesday evening and were deployed at Fort Pratapgarh early in the morning for the task of demolition in accordance with a Bombay high court order issued in 2017.

To prevent any law and order situation, Satara collector Ruchesh Jaivanshi has issued weapon and mob ban orders in the district till November 29.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the demolition of encroachments around Afzal Khan’s tomb was carried out as per the HC order. “Shiv Pratap Din is a day of pride for everyone. On this day (in 1659), Afzal Khan was killed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Fadnavis told reporters.

“The court had ordered the removal of the encroachments. In 2017, we started the process. But some legal problems had come up,” he added. “There were demands (for removal of encroachments) from ‘Shiv-premis’ (Shivaji’s followers). But when they staged protests, cases were registered against them. The encroachment was never removed. Today, it is a matter of satisfaction for everyone that the entire encroachment has been removed,” Fadnavis said.

Heavy security has been deployed in Pratapgarh, Mahabaleshwar, Wai, Karad, and Satara districts and Section 144 has been enforced in the areas. Collector of Satara Ruchesh Jayavanshi, Superintendent of Police Sameer Sheikh, Provincial Officer of Y Rajendra Jadhav, Deputy Superintendent of Police Dr. Sheetal Janeve Kharade, Tehsildar Sushma Patil Chaudhary of Mahabaleshwar and other senior officials have also reached the spot. However, media representatives have been barred from entering the premises.

Several illegal structures have been constructed around the tomb of Afzal Khan, the tyrant from Bijapur who was a staunch enemy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Several Hindu organizations including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanded strict action against the illegal encroachment and sought direction leading to the demolition of the illegal structures. Notably, the Bombay High Court in 2017 directed the Maharashtra government to do away with illegal constructions around Afzal Khan’s grave.

Afzal Khan tried to kill Shivaji Maharaj, and got disemboweled by the Chhatrapati’s famous ‘Wagh nakh’

On November 10, 1659, Afzal Khan, the Bijapur General barged onto Fort Pratapgarh near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. A few meters above its base, a Shamiyana was erected to welcome Khan who had come to meet Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Soon, pretending to hug Shivaji Maharaj, he tried to kill him. Aware of his motives, 29-year-old Chhatrapati swiftly scratched out Afzal Khan’s intestine with tiger claws. Khan collapsed on the spot and died screaming. To honour Afzal Khan’s right to a decent burial, he was buried at the same spot and a tombstone was placed over it.

Until over two decades ago, the grave of Afzal Khan was lying unnoticed inside the fort premises. However, it gained prominence only after some Muslim ascetics around the year 2000 claimed the grave and decided to build a shelter over it. Gradually over a decade, a permanent structure with an arcade from all four sides was raised on the grave. Covered with a tapering roof of asbestos sheets, the interior is said to have independent rooms for wandering Muslim ascetics who often take refuge in the newly developed ‘Shrine’.

The construction was carried out illegally in the name of a ‘Hazrat Mohammed Afzal Khan Memorial Trust’ which had occupied around 5,500 square feet of space on the fort. Further, in the year 2004, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) raised an objection against the illegal capture of land on the ASI-regulated site. The Hindu organization also demanded the removal of illegal construction and said that it would lead to agitation on the fort if no action is taken. The Mahabaleshwar Police then bolstered security around the fort and tomb.

Later a contempt petition was filed by Milind Ekbote, the founder-president of Samasta Hindu Aghadi and chief executive of Pratapgad Utsav Samiti against illegal construction on forest land around the grave of Afzal Khan. The PIL said that the original tomb was 5 square feet in size at the foot of the fort, but it was now encircled by 1,000 square feet of unlawful development. It also alleged that a number of other structures had taken over the fort, which is on territory owned by the forest department.

The Bombay High Court then directed the state government to do away with the illegal constructions around Afzal Khan’s grave. “Remove encroachments around Afzal Khan’s grave or send forest officials permanently to the forest if they can’t do their duty,” Justice SC Dharmadhikari of the Bombay High Court was quoted saying.

Afzal Khan’s grave at the foothills of Fort Pratapgarh in Satara district had truly been undergoing rapid changes in recent years. The Islamists had also started organizing fairs on the location. At present, the common public and media persons have been barred from entering the premises amid the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. Heavy security has been deployed in Pratapgarh, Mahabaleshwar, Wai, Karad, and Satara districts and Section 144 has been enforced in the areas.

References:

opindia.com