Maithili Thakur Land Dispute: Road demolished in Darbhanga, villagers demand return of allegedly occupied land

A land dispute involving BJP MLA and folk singer Maithili Thakur and her family has continued to escalate in Bihar's Darbhanga district, despite the demolition of a nearly 100-metre stretch of a disputed road late on Friday night. Villagers have alleged that several private plots, public land and a common pathway remain encroached upon and have demanded action against the alleged occupation.

Amid growing opposition from local residents, Thakur and her father, Ramesh Thakur, allegedly used a bulldozer to remove a brick-laid road and a wall constructed along the disputed stretch in Pokharbhinda panchayat of Tardih block. However, residents maintain that demolishing the road alone will not resolve the dispute, as several land-related complaints remain unaddressed.

RJD leader raises allegations of land encroachment

The controversy has also drawn a response from RJD leader Vinod Mishra, who contested the Assembly election against Maithili Thakur. Mishra has highlighted allegations concerning several villagers' land and urged the MLA to address their grievances.


According to Mishra, claims of encroachment involve 12 dhurs of land belonging to Gagan Mishra, 27 dhurs owned by Chandra Mohan Mishra and one kattha belonging to Ram Udgar Mishra. He also alleged that excavation work near Shrawan Kumar Mishra's plot had caused damage to the land.

Mishra said Thakur had earned considerable recognition as a folk singer and urged her to take the villagers' complaints seriously. He also called on her to ensure that people whose land had allegedly been occupied were given back their property.

Villagers raise concerns over private plots and public land

Residents have accused Thakur's father of allegedly occupying government land, a public pathway, a common cremation and last-rites site, as well as privately owned plots. They have also raised objections to construction activities near the common last-rites ground close to Tiwari Baba Sthan.

Another major concern relates to the public road connecting Shashinath Mishra Chowk to the Waterways. Villagers claim that farmers regularly use this route to access their agricultural fields and that construction along the stretch has affected their movement.

Residents have also alleged encroachment on 14 dhurs of a three-kattha plot belonging to Bhagwan Mishra. Separately, Ramudar Mishra has claimed that 15 dhurs of his land have been affected.

Complaints over drainage, excavation and nearby transformer

Apart from the alleged encroachment, villagers have raised concerns about the filling of a drain originating from a pond with soil. They claim that a portion of the land associated with the drainage channel was used during road construction.

Administration orders inquiry into land dispute

Seeking intervention, residents have submitted complaints to the local administration, the Chief Minister's Office and the state government's Sahyog portal. They have demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged encroachments and the removal of any illegal occupation established during the inquiry.

Taking cognisance of the complaints, in-charge Circle Officer Alok Kumar has ordered an investigation into the matter. Both parties will be called for a public hearing to present their claims. The administration will subsequently examine the relevant land records and documents before deciding on further action.

While the demolition of the disputed 100-metre road marks a development in the case, allegations involving private land, public pathways and drainage remain unresolved. The final outcome will depend on the administration's inquiry and verification of the land records.

[With TOI inputs]