Carrying a paper that read “Sahab, I am alive,” a woman reached the Ballia District Magistrate’s office in a desperate plea for justice. The woman, identified as Sharda Dev, alleged that her cousins declared her dead to take her rightful inheritance.

Sharda Devi, the only child of her late father, said that he had legally willed all his property to her before his death. Initially, the will was honoured, and the property was transferred to her name.

However, some years later, the sons of her father’s elder brother reportedly manipulated records to show her as deceased and managed to transfer the property ownership to themselves.

With the fraudulent transfer complete, Sharda Devi said she began running from pillar to post to prove that she is alive. Her efforts to get justice at the tehsil level failed, pushing her to seek intervention from the District Magistrate.

“I am alive and yet I have been declared dead just to take away what is mine,” she said, holding up the handwritten paper to draw attention.

District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar confirmed receiving the complaint and acknowledged that a woman named Sharda Devi had approached him with the matter.

According to the DM, the woman presented documents showing that her father had willed his property to her, and the mutation process had been carried out accordingly. However, it appears that her cousins later filed for a revised mutation by falsely declaring her dead.

Kumar said the complaint seems valid at first glance and has ordered the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a report within a week. He added that if it is found that a fake death certificate was used, action would be taken against all those responsible, including the officials involved in the issuance of the certificate. A case will also be registered against the guilty parties.