MP: Elderly Tribal Couple Declared Dead in Panchayat Records, Land Grabbed; Plead for Justice at Minister’s Feet

Panna- A shocking incident from Panna district in Madhya Pradesh has come to light, where an elderly tribal couple was declared dead in panchayat records, leading to their 6-acre land and house being illegally seized. The victims, 78-year-old Bhura Adivasi and his 75-year-old wife Keshkali, broke down in front of Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar during a public event, pleading for justice. Parmar is also the Minister in charge for the district.

The couple, residents of Janwar village, approached Minister Parmar at a horticulture department program and cried, “We are alive! Please help us get our home and land back.” Moved by their plight, the minister assured them of action but stated that immediate resolution was not possible. “I have informed the collector. The patwari (revenue officer) is currently unwell but will return in a day or two. Then, we will process the documents and locate your land,” he said.

The couple revealed that they had left the village nearly 30 years ago in search of work and settled in Katni. Over time, they lost contact with their village, and local strongmen, allegedly in collusion with their own son, took over their property. When their niece recently traced and brought them back to the village, they discovered they had been declared dead in panchayat records, and their land had been occupied.

Their niece shared that she had searched for them for years before finding them in Katni. Since bringing them back five years ago, she has been fighting for the correction of records and the restoration of their land—but no justice has been delivered so far.

Collector Directs Probe

Due to being marked as deceased in official records, the couple has been denied basic rights, they possess no Aadhaar card, voter ID, or old-age pension benefits. They are alive yet legally dead for all administrative purposes.

During the event, Collector Suresh Kumar, who was present, instructed officials to take the matter seriously. “The Gram Panchayat Secretary has been directed to gather all relevant documents and submit them for review. Only after examining the records can we clarify the situation and proceed with further action,” he said.