Fear Grips Villagers of Polad in Siwan as the ASI Served Eviction Notices

Kaithal: (Haryana): A large number of villagers who had migrated from Pakistan during the partition of the country and settled at Polad village in Kaithal district of Haryana through generations have been served with eviction notices by the Archaeological Survey of India last week.

Notices were issued to nearly 206 house owners to vacate the land. An atmosphere of fear has gripped the villagers as many are threatened with homelessness.

Birbal, a villager from Polad told ETV Bharat that his ancestors had come from Pakistan and settled here. “Many of my generations have been living here, but now the eviction notice has brought fear among all,” Birbal said.

He said most of the settlers did not have the land ownership rights but they have been living here since 1947.

Villager Shashipal said that the Archaeological Department is claiming that the land belonged to them. It is where the village is settled.

Documents available with the ETV Bharat showed that the ASI had been sending notices since 2005 and the matter was pending in the court. The latest eviction notices were issued based on a court order on April 21, 2025 in which it was stated that the present proceedings have been initiated under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 against the respondents for illegal occupation of Notified protected site.

The same notices were served on respondents 06.09.2016 and again on 16.01.2018. The documents available showed that the ASI claimed that the respondents (villagers) failed to appear before the hearings and no lawyer represented the villagers’ side allowing the ASI to have exparte proceedings.

However, Devendra Hans, the MLA from Guhala constituency Kaithal district under which Polad village is located told ETV Bharat that the villagers have made a representation before him regarding the eviction orders.

“These people had originally migrated from Pakistan and worked hard to have a shelter over their head. If the ASI had told during their settlement that this was a protected site, the people would not have settled here. This is unfortunate,” said Devendra Hans.

He said he would be taking up the issue with the Haryana chief minister and stand by the villagers in this time of crisis. No eviction will be allowed, he said.

The villagers of Polad said that the village is famous as it derived its name from Ravana's grandfather. They said Polad has special religious significance. Here is the place of penance of Ravana's grandfather Pulastya Muni and the village was named Polad after him.

This village is situated on the banks of Saraswati river. ETV Bharat saw that there is a temple of Saraswati Mata in the village, which was built in 1960. Construction work was being done on the Saraswati river by the Saraswati Board. In ancient times, fairs were also organized on the banks of Saraswati river, where people from nearby areas used to come to the fair.

Villagers say that even though they do not own land, there are around 2000 voters in the village. There is a Panchayat in the village, the government is providing facilities to them.

Not only that. The villagers of Polad have voter cards, Aadhaar cards, family IDs and all kinds of documents and there is also a government school in the village. In such a situation, the question also arises that when this village is settled on the land of the Archaeological Department, then how was the Gram Panchayat formed here and how are these people getting all the facilities from the government.

The Archaeological Department got the village excavated twice but they have not found any ancient object from the land and due to this, now the Archaeological Department has once again ordered to vacate the village.

Rajwanti, a small girl from Polad village school said: “all we have come to know from the elders is that that our village has been asked to be vacated. She said that her father has passed away and mother built the house with great difficulty. “Where will we go?” she asked.

Reena Devi, another villager said that she had built her house with great difficulty. Her husband works as a driver for a landlord in a nearby village and she takes care of her family by doing cleaning work in other people's houses. The dreams she had about her new house are all shattered.

Many soldiers of this village are said to be in the Indian Army: The old ones participated in the 1965 war. There are many soldiers from their village who are serving the country by joining different armies of India.

Talking to ETV Bharat, the villagers said: “We will die but will not leave the village: When ETV Bharat talked to the villagers, they said: “Our elders came and started living here. Many of our generations have been living here. We have built our house here by saving every penny, but now orders have been issued by the department. We will die but will not leave the village,” they said.

The Kaithal District Collector, Preeti when contacted said that she did not have any information on the issue except for media reports. The villagers have not approached her till now. “If they come I will give them an audience and would do whatever possible under the law,” she added.