BJP’s denial of Muslim burial on disputed waqf land leads to tense standoff in Nainital

Communal tension prevailed in the Gaujani area of Ramnagar, Nainital, after BJP workers, along with local Hindu residents, objected to the digging of a grave for a Muslim allegedly outside the designated cemetery, reigniting a decades-old land dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities on Thursday.

The incident triggered a tense standoff in the area, as BJP members claimed the burial site was situated around 200 metres away from the officially approved cemetery boundary, which intensified concerns among nearby Hindu families.

In response to the emerging conflict, the sub-divisional magistrate Pramod Kumar arrived at the site accompanied by a heavy police force, and the administration initiated talks with both communities to ease tensions and ensure the situation did not escalate further. Authorities emphasised that no burial would be allowed without formal permission, and attempts were made to mediate a resolution on the spot.

Tensions mounted when a group of Muslim youths entered the pit and sat inside it in protest, asserting their demand to proceed with the burial at the disputed location, which caused additional strain on communal harmony in the area.

Police removed the group from the site, while the administration firmly instructed the family to carry out the burial within the boundaries of the authorised cemetery, thereby preventing any further provocation.

Following the administrative directive, the grave that had been dug near the Hindu residential zone was filled in, and the situation was brought under control through continued police presence and community engagement.

Although the immediate crisis was averted, the incident has once again brought to light longstanding communal tensions linked to land ownership and cemetery boundaries in the region.