The Apathy of Police & Land Grabbers case in Lalganj, Mirzapur, reveals a troubling pattern that repeats across Uttar Pradesh. Specifically, families with legitimate ancestral property claims often find themselves powerless against a coordinated nexus of local officials and criminal networks. Indeed, when police refuse to register a First Information Report, they effectively hand land grabbers a free pass to operate without consequence. Moreover, this apathy is rarely accidental; it stems from deep-rooted corruption that links revenue officials, station house officers, and the very individuals seizing disputed land. As a result, victims like Shivam Gupta must escalate their grievances to state-level authorities simply to get basic legal protection. Ultimately, the Apathy of Police & Land Grabbers pattern will persist until independent inquiries and mandatory FIR registration become the norm, not the exception.
Key Takeaways
- The ‘apathy of police’ allows land grabbers in Uttar Pradesh to operate without fear of consequences, exposing families like Shivam Gupta’s to exploitation.
- A corrupt nexus between local officials and land mafias undermines the sanctity of ancestral property and hampers justice.
- Gupta’s complaint relies on the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, citing criminal breach of trust and deception laws against the accused.
- Despite clear evidence, police often refuse to file FIRs, further enabling land grabbers due to their negligence and corruption.
- Addressing this issue requires independent inquiries, mandatory FIR registration, and accountability measures against corrupt officials.
Apathy of Police & Land Grabbers: A Mirzapur Case Study
Above all, the sanctity of ancestral property is not just about money — indeed, it represents a family’s heritage and security. Yet in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, the apathy of police toward land grabbers leaves that security exposed. Specifically, a sophisticated nexus between local land mafias and administrative officials often goes unchecked. For example, a recent grievance filed by Shivam Gupta (Registration No: GOVUP/E/2025/0019036) highlights this troubling pattern — land grabbing through deception, allegedly aided by the very officials sworn to protect the public.
As a result, this case, centered in the Lalganj area of Mirzapur, serves as a critical case study on the challenges of enforcing the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the persistent struggle for transparency in local governance.
The Core of the Grievance: Criminal Breach of Trust and Cheating
At the heart of Mr. Gupta’s complaint, and this is central to the case, is the allegation that his parents, both in their seventies, were manipulated into signing documents. Consequently, this scheme allegedly let the accused usurp their ancestral property. To address this, the complaint invokes India’s new legal framework, specifically citing the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which replaced the Indian Penal Code.
Section 316 BNS: Criminal Breach of Trust
First, the complainant argues that the accused held dominion over certain properties or legal processes. Furthermore, he alleges they dishonestly misappropriated them. Specifically, under Section 316, criminal breach of trust occurs when someone violates a legal contract or direction of law to convert property for personal use. In particular, when this involves carriers or people in positions of trust, the law allows for imprisonment of up to seven years.
Section 318 & 319 BNS: Deception and Personation
In addition, the grievance alleges “Cheating by Personation.” To begin with, under Section 318, cheating means inducing a person to hand over property through deception. Moreover, Section 319 goes further, addressing cases where individuals pretend to be someone else, or manipulate others’ identities, to gain access to assets. Here specifically, the allegation is that the offenders used fraudulent means to obtain signatures from the parents, who were in their seventies. As a result, legal commentators cite this as a classic example of “Scenario 5” under BNS interpretations, where offenders exploit a victim’s vulnerability.
Police Apathy Toward Land Grabbers: A Pattern, Not an Exception
Above all, the most concerning aspect of the grievance, and arguably the most damaging, is the naming of specific individuals, including a government official. Indeed, the nexus described by the complainant suggests a three-way alliance:
- Administrative Facilitation: First, the naming of Local Lekhpal Manmohan Kumar suggests officials may have manipulated land records, or that their presence lent legitimacy to a fraudulent transaction.
- The Beneficiaries: Similarly, individuals such as Rama Sankar Patel and his associates (Vinod Kumar and Dinesh Kumar) allegedly drove the land grabbing, and in addition, they appear to have acted with little fear of consequence.
- Police Inaction: Meanwhile, the grievance names the Station House Officer (SHO) of Lalganj and the Circle Officer (C.O.) of Lalganj, and it further alleges they overlooked these criminal acts due to deep-rooted corruption and a fear that keeps officers from acting.
Ultimately, this is where the apathy of police becomes most visible — not a single lapse, but a recurring failure to act even when evidence points to land grabbers operating with local cover.
The Legal Obligation of the Police: The FIR Mandate
Typically, victims of land grabbing face one hurdle: often, police refuse to register a First Information Report (FIR), calling the matter a “civil dispute.” However, as Mr. Gupta points out, clear evidence of cheating, forgery, and criminal breach of trust moves a case into the realm of criminal law.
In fact, under Indian law, police must register an FIR when a complaint discloses a cognizable offense. Therefore, by failing to do so, the local police in Lalganj are not just ignoring a complaint. Additionally, critics argue they are also allegedly defying Supreme Court directives on mandatory FIR registration — a textbook instance of apathy of police enabling land grabbers to act with impunity.
Corruption and the “Puppet of Honesty”
Notably, and this is worth stressing, the grievance uses strong language, calling political masters “puppets of honesty” and describing a government machinery lacking transparency and accountability. Overall, this reflects the frustration of citizens caught between local mafias and an apathetic bureaucracy.
Nevertheless, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has repeatedly issued stern warnings against land mafias. For instance, his government established the “Anti-Land Mafia Portal” and directed officials to use the Gangsters Act against illegal occupiers. In this context, the complainant’s appeal to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat — forwarded to Shri Arvind Mohan, Joint Secretary — pleads for a bridge between high-level policy and ground-level execution.
Procedural Timeline of the Grievance
- Date of Receipt: notably, 27/02/2025
- Registration Number: specifically, GOVUP/E/2025/0019036
- Current Status: currently, forwarded to the Chief Minister Secretariat, Lucknow
Importantly, forwarding this grievance to the CM Secretariat marks a significant step. As a result, it moves the matter out of the local Lalganj jurisdiction — where the alleged nexus exists — and into the hands of state-level oversight. Consequently, this offers a real chance for an independent inquiry into the actions of the Lekhpal and the SHO.
Conclusion: The Path Toward Justice
For Shivam Gupta and his family, this case is not just about a piece of land; rather, it is about the right to live without fear of being swindled by those in power. Likewise, for the state of Uttar Pradesh, this case tests its resolve to crush the land mafia and confront the apathy of police that lets land grabbers thrive.
Specifically, the path forward requires:
- Firstly, an immediate independent inquiry by the District Magistrate or a senior police official from outside the Lalganj circle
- Secondly, suspension of the Lekhpal involved, pending investigation into the land record changes
- Finally, mandatory registration of an FIR under Sections 316, 318, and 319 of the BNS to allow a formal criminal investigation
Admittedly, the fight against corruption is long and arduous. Nonetheless, through persistent use of the grievance redressal system and public awareness, citizens can eventually hold both corrupt officials and land grabbers accountable.
How to Pursue This Grievance (apathy of police & land grabbers)
First and foremost, to ensure Registration No. GOVUP/E/2025/0019036 is effectively pursued, engage with both revenue and police authorities at the district and state levels.
1. State Level Authorities (Lucknow) (apathy of police & land grabbers)
| Authority | Name/Office | Contact Number | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM Secretariat | Shri Arvind Mohan (Joint Secretary) | 0522-2226350 | arvind.12574@gov.in |
| CM Helpline | Public Support Center | 1076 | – |
| IGRS Portal | Jansunwai UP | – | jansunwai.up.nic.in |
2. District Administration (Mirzapur) (apathy of police & land grabbers)
| Designation | Current Official | Mobile (CUG) | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Magistrate | Shri Pawan Kumar Gangwar | 9454417567 | dmmir@nic.in |
| Addl. DM (Finance/Revenue) | Shri Ajay Kumar Singh | 9454417638 | admfr.mi-up@gov.in |
| Divisional Commissioner | Vindhyachal Division | 9454417505 | commmir@nic.in |
3. Police Department (Mirzapur) (apathy of police & land grabbers)
| Designation | Name | Mobile (CUG) | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superintendent of Police (SP) | Shri Somen Verma | 9454400299 | spmzr-up@nic.in |
| Addl. SP (City/Operations) | – | 9454401104 | asp-city.mi@up.gov.in |
| Circle Officer (C.O.) Lalganj | Shri Ashok Kumar Singh | 9454401592 | co-lalganj.mi@up.gov.in |
| DIG Vindhyachal Range | Shri Rakesh Prakash Singh | 9454400215 | digrmir@nic.in |
4. Tehsil & Local Level (Lalganj) (apathy of police & land grabbers)
- SDM Lalganj: 9454417895
- Tehsildar Lalganj: 9454417905
- Nayab Tehsildar Lalganj: 9454416824 / 9454416827
- Police Station Lalganj (SHO): 9454403953
Important Web Links for Monitoring (apathy of police & land grabbers)
- Track Grievance Status: Jansunwai Status Track
- Official District Website: mirzapur.nic.in
- UP Police Complaint Portal: uppolice.gov.in
Note: When calling CUG (Chief User Group) mobile numbers, call during office hours (10:00 AM–5:00 PM). If unanswered, send a formal WhatsApp message or SMS with your Grievance Registration Number for the record.of an FIR based on the BNS sections you cited?


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