A Hindu woman in Surat who sold her property to a Muslim woman found it sealed by authorities in the first week of February for allegedly violating the provisions of the Disturbed Areas Act.
The action followed objections from Hindu residents of the seller’s housing society, who lodged complaints with the Surat district collectorate.
Residents of the society reportedly ran a hate campaign against the Muslim woman and the Hindu woman, who lived in Salabatpura, after she sold her property to a Muslim woman. The buyer, also a resident of Salabatpura, had even paid a token amount for the purchase.
Authorities claim the sale violated the Disturbed Areas Act, which regulates property transactions in communally sensitive areas. Residents argue that the transaction breached Sections 5(a) and 5(b) of the Act.
Under these provisions, a person intending to sell property must apply for sanction from the district collector, who conducts a formal inquiry, hears various parties, and has the authority to approve or reject the sale.
