Bizarre Case in Bemetara: Daughter-in-Law Declares Living Mother-in-Law Dead for Land Grabs

A peculiar incident has surfaced in the Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh. An 81-year-old woman, seeking to prove she is alive, visited the Bemetara Collector’s office. She stated, ‘Sir, I am alive, please do not consider me dead.’ The woman, identified as Shail Sharma, a resident of Kirna village near Narayanpur, alleges that her own family members fabricated a death certificate to seize her husband’s property, motivated by greed for land. Her husband had purchased 30 decimal of land in Maihar Road, Satna, MP. The woman’s daughter-in-law was managing the land. Recently, the land’s ownership was transferred from her husband’s name to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. This transfer triggered objections from the victim’s grandson and elder son. Upon inquiry at the SDM Court in Satna, a shocking revelation emerged: Shail Sharma was declared deceased in 1993, 32 years prior to the present. The death certificate was issued from the Maro outpost in Bemetara. In this land dispute, familial bonds were severed, and the daughter-in-law wrongfully declared her mother-in-law dead. The victim has recently traveled abroad, further highlighting the absurdity of the situation. It remains to be seen how seriously the administration will address this matter and restore the woman’s status as a living person.