A major legal and administrative dispute has surfaced regarding the ancestral property of the revered spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba in Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh. Six of his granddaughters have submitted a written complaint to District Magistrate Santosh Sharma, accusing Shri Thakur Hanuman Ji Trust of unlawfully taking control of House Number 154 'Va' in Akbarpur village. The complainants allege that the trust has encroached upon the historic residence where the saint spent his early life, including the family's sacred worship space inside. They have urged the local administration to intervene immediately, warning that they will approach the courts if the unauthorized occupation is not removed promptly.
Historical Legacy of Neem Karoli Baba and the Akbarpur Residence
Neem Karoli Baba, whose original name was Laxmi Narayan Sharma, was born around the year 1900 in Akbarpur village, situated within the Tundla tehsil of Firozabad district in Uttar Pradesh. He lived in this ancestral house before renouncing worldly life and departing from his home in 1958. He later reached Kainchi Dham near Nainital in 1961, which eventually became a world renowned pilgrimage center. The saint passed away in Vrindavan in 1963. The disputed property in Akbarpur holds immense historical and spiritual significance for his followers. Within the house, two specific rooms are dedicated as a worship shrine for Neem Karoli Baba and his wife, while the remaining rooms are currently occupied by priests residing on the premises.
Family Lineage and Specific Allegations Made by the Granddaughters
The lineage of Neem Karoli Baba includes two sons. His elder son was Anke Singh Sharma, who had one son and one daughter. His younger son was Dharma Narayan Sharma, who had six daughters. It is these six daughters of Dharma Narayan Sharma who have come forward to challenge the control of the trust over their ancestral estate. According to the family members, neither Neem Karoli Baba nor his legal heirs ever donated or gifted House Number 154 'Va' or its associated shrine to any trust. They allege that Shri Thakur Hanuman Ji Trust has forcibly seized the property and continues to interfere in the daily management of the private worship area without any lawful authority.
Hanuman Trust Defense and Ongoing Inquiry by Firozabad Administration
Responding to the serious allegations, Manoj Agarwal, the treasurer of Shri Thakur Hanuman Ji Trust, completely refuted the claims of illegal land grabbing or encroachment. He stated that the ancestral house, the temple, and the adjacent Dak Bangliya were legally donated to the trust in the past. Agarwal argued that if the property had not been formally handed over, the trust would not have spent years taking care of, maintaining, and managing the site. Following the conflicting statements and the formal petition submitted by the saint's granddaughters, District Magistrate Santosh Sharma has instituted an official inquiry to examine the property documents and ascertain the true ownership of the ancestral home.
