ERODE: A farmer at Kalkadambur in Dasappagoundanpudhur near Sathy has lodged a complaint of land grab against a DMK member.As per the complaint from Kuppusamy to the SP, the DMK man of the area usurped four acres of the family land and threatened the original land owner.Kuppusamy’s father Settyaandi had given the power of attorney to a DMK man, who owns a mutton shop, of Dasampalayam in 2006 to arrange a loan of `1.35 lakh for Kuppusamy and `60,000 for his brother Anamalai. As per the condition, the loan amount was to be repaid in three years.Six months after giving the power of attorney, Kuppusamy served as a cane cutting contractor at a sugarcane field owned by a landlord, who happened to be the shop owner’s friend, at Poondurai near here. Kuppusamy’s wages (`350 per tonne) for harvesting 183 tonnes of sugarcane were to be adjusted with the loan amount. As his dues were above the wages he earned, the landlord forced Kuppusamy and his father to sign some records in a house at Erode Karungalpalayam, in the presence of a notary public. A few months later, in 2007, the shop owner informed him that the landlord had cancelled his power of attorney.The landlord had in fact got the power of attorney transferred to his name. He later sold it to the shop owner for a higher price.Meanwhile, Kuppusamy, Settyaandi and Annamalai tried to sell an acre of land for `10.05 lakh to settle the loan amount. At this juncture, the shop owner informed them about the land deal that occurred between him and the landlord and said the family now had no connection with the land.Later, his brother got `4.75 lakh for the deal. When Kuppusamy sought more money for the land in 2007, the shop owner sent to his house a group of men, who allegedly threatened him. Kuppusamy said he remained silent and did not lodge a police complaint at that time, fearing the wrath of the group. Now, as the government has formed a special wing to deal with land grab cases, he decided to lodge a petition.
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