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Hathras (UP), Apr 20 (PTI): Several graves were allegedly damaged during excavation work for an overhead water tank under the Jal Jeevan Mission (Rural) in a village, which sparked protests from locals, officials said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday in Pusaini village, located under the Sadabad police station area. The digging for the water tank resulted in damage to multiple graves, with some bodies allegedly being disturbed. This prompted some members of the Muslim community to gather at the site to express their anger.

In response to the protest, the excavation work was immediately halted. With the intervention of the administration, the bodies were reburied, officials noted.

Villagers alleged that the work commenced without prior notice or permission and claimed that the land in question had been used as a cemetery for many years.

Umesh Kumar, the village head, arrived at the scene and ensured that the work was stopped.

Chief Development Officer P N Dixit explained that the excavation began on land designated for the project by a local revenue official (lekhpal). However, after objections from villagers and the gram pradhan, who insisted that it was a graveyard, the work was suspended.

Dixit mentioned that an investigation is underway to determine whether the land is government or public property or has been utilised as a graveyard, adding that the sub-divisional magistrate of Sadabad has ordered this probe.

According to the CDO, the inquiry report was expected by Monday evening, but no official was available for comment as calls went unanswered. PTI COR KIS MPL MPL

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)