Widow Alleges Land Grab, Husband’s Murder by Gang

Lucknow In a chilling tale of land grab and violence, multiple families from Uttar Pradesh have come forward with shocking allegations against a gang led by a man identified as Chhangur. During a press briefing held in Lucknow, five families hailing from Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and Balrampur narrated harrowing experiences of threats, displacement, and in one case, a murder that they allege was carried out by the gang to seize land.

Among the most heart-wrenching accounts was that of a woman who claimed that her husband was murdered in cold blood by members of the Chhangur gang. According to her, the motive was to take control of their ancestral property. After forcibly acquiring the land, she alleges, the gang went so far as to construct a mosque and a mazar (shrine) on it—actions which she believes were a calculated attempt to permanently cement control over the property and obscure any legal recourse she might have had.

The widow, visibly shaken and emotional as she addressed the media, said she had been fighting for justice ever since the incident but received little help from local authorities. “They killed my husband, threw us out, and now they pray on the very soil soaked in his blood,” she said, wiping away tears. “We live in fear every single day. They are powerful, connected, and ruthless.”

Other families present at the briefing supported her claims, sharing stories of intimidation and organized land encroachments allegedly carried out by the same gang. One man from Ghaziabad stated that his family’s farmland was seized overnight while they were away attending a wedding. Upon their return, they were met with armed men who warned them against entering what was once their own property.

The pattern across these cases appears to be disturbingly similar: vulnerable families being targeted, often women and the elderly being threatened or harmed, and land being forcibly taken and converted for religious or personal use—making legal reclamation immensely difficult.

Legal experts have noted that the use of religious structures like mosques or shrines in such land-grab cases is not unprecedented, and often poses a serious challenge to eviction or reclamation proceedings due to the sensitive nature of religious sites. However, authorities are being urged to investigate the legitimacy of these constructions and to focus on the criminal allegations at their core.

Civil rights groups have called for an immediate and impartial probe into the matter, with demands that the Chhangur gang be dismantled and victims be provided protection and legal assistance. As the news gains traction, political leaders too are beginning to weigh in, asking for stronger enforcement of land protection laws and justice for the families affected.

For the grieving widow and others like her, this fight is about more than property—it’s about dignity, safety, and a long-denied sense of justice. Their plea is now echoing across the state, urging officials to act before more families are silenced.