Land mafia eyes MP–Chhattisgarh’s only Jewish cemetery:Graves damaged in Jabalpur, boundary wall broken, case reaches court

A land dispute involving the only known Jewish cemetery in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has surfaced in Jabalpur, where members of the Jewish community allege that land mafias are attempting to illegally occupy the site. According to community members, the cemetery near Ranital Shamshan Ghat was allotted nearly a century ago by the British government and spans around 5,000 square feet. At the time, nearly 200 Jewish families lived in the area, but after Independence, most migrated to Israel. Today, only four Jewish families remain in the city. They claim that the cemetery—where generations of their ancestors are buried—has been damaged, with graves disturbed, boundary walls broken, and the main gate stolen. Allegations of grave damage and encroachment The issue came to light when an elderly community member visited the cemetery and found significant damage. Following this, a petition was filed before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) court. The SDM court ruled in favour of the Jewish community, after which the opposing party challenged the decision in the district court. However, the district court upheld the SDM’s order. The accused party has now approached the High Court, filing a petition on June 3, 2026, claiming ownership of the land. Dispute over land ownership The person accused of encroachment claims that the land is ancestral property and that a settlement has already developed on part of it. He insists he has legal documents supporting his ownership claim. On the other hand, the Jewish community maintains that the land (recorded as khasra number 407/2 in government records) was officially allocated for a cemetery, while the adjacent land belongs to the accused (khasra number 407/1). How the dispute began According to Daniel Ibrahim, a resident of Civil Lines, Jabalpur, he visited the cemetery in 2021 for prayers and discovered that the boundary wall had been damaged and the gate was missing. He alleged that a local resident, Lakhan Kewat, was attempting to encroach upon the land. A complaint was subsequently filed with the police at Lordganj station and the SDM office. Following an official inquiry, authorities confirmed that the land was recorded in government documents as cemetery property allotted decades ago. Court rulings in favour of Jewish community On April 14, 2025, the SDM court ruled in favour of the Jewish community, ordering restoration of possession and directing the opposing party not to interfere with cemetery land or harass the community. The decision was challenged in the district court in 2025, but on March 11, 2026, the additional sessions judge upheld the SDM ruling, stating that there was no error in the order. Alleged disturbance during community event On January 5, 2026, during a Jewish community gathering at the cemetery, Lakhan Kewat allegedly arrived with associates and created a disturbance. The incident was reported to the police, who intervened and issued a warning. Following this, the accused moved the High Court challenging earlier court orders. Community claims historical significance Daniel Ibrahim stated that the cemetery has been in use since 1937 and contains more than 100 graves. He said his family members across three generations are buried there, including individuals believed to be freedom fighters. Another community member, Dr. Allen Gaur, informed authorities that several graves dated 1937, 1986, and 1987 still exist and accused misinformation being spread about commercial use of the land. He clarified that only maintenance and repair work is intended. Accused claims ancestral ownership Lakhan Kewat maintains that he possesses full legal documentation proving ownership of the land. He has requested land demarcation from the revenue department and claims that records will confirm his ownership. He also argues that the land being claimed by the Jewish community has long been under his possession and will be defended in the High Court. Municipal response pending final verdict Jabalpur Mayor Jagat Bahadur Annu stated that the cemetery belongs to the Jewish community and the matter is currently sub judice in the High Court after earlier decisions from SDM and district courts. He added that the municipal corporation will take necessary action once the final court verdict is delivered.