After Tiruchendurai, Another Tamil Nadu Village Faces Waqf Board Land Claim Storm

A fresh storm brews in Tamil Nadu as Kattukollai village in Vellore, home to nearly 150 families, is now caught in a heated dispute with the Waqf Board. This marks the second major land conflict in the state, after the Tiruchendurai row involving a 1500-year-old Chola-era temple. Villagers allege that their ancestral land and homes have been suddenly claimed by the Waqf Board, leaving them feeling displaced in their own village. Protesting the move, locals marched to the collector’s office demanding answers and justice. While the villagers call it a land grab, local mosque authorities assert the land has belonged to the Waqf since 1954. The controversy has now taken a political turn, with the Congress backing the Waqf Board’s claim, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has stressed the need for reforms to protect the aggrieved. India Today brings you an exclusive ground report with voices from the village, mosque authorities, and political leaders.