Septuagenarian Shantilata, a resident of Magura village in Abhaynagar, recently managed to win back her family’s ancestral land many years after a vested quarter grabbed it in the name of a school.

Abhaynagar upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Mandwip Gharai handed over the keys of  a newly-built house on a part of the 11 bigha tract on Thursday noon.

In 1965, Mangal Biswas, father of Shantilata, donated a huge amount of land to establish Magura Bahumukhi High School in the village.

After the death of Mangal, Shantilata inherited the property as she was his only child. However, 76-year-old Shantilata was away from Magura staying with her husband and in-laws for many years and returned to Magura village following the departure of her husband.

After she returned, a vested quarter of village influentials asked her to donate 11 bighas of land in the name of the school established by her father.

However, taking advantage of Shantilata’s advancing years, the group registered her desired donation as 22 bighas - twice what she intended, and had been agreed between the parties. Indeed, that about covered her entire inheritance. It was all gone - grabbed.

Later, Shantilata filed a case with the local court to get back her property.

Having lost all her wealth, she along with her adopted son Gautam, his wife and their two children started living in a shanty adjacent to the school.

It was around five years ago that the school authorities agreed to take Shantilata under their wing, being pressured by local people. They assured to give her 50 kilogram rice per month, cash and other things. The arrangement lasted just seven to eight months.

Last July 14, locals vandalised her shanty after five baby cobras and 24 eggs were found inside, forcing the elderly woman out under the open sky along with family members.

However, the matter came to the limelight after vernacular daily Daily Janakantha published a report on July 29 describing the sorry tale of Shantilata.

As the news sparked off a huge public outcry, Abhaynagar UNO Mandwip Gharai came to Magura village, met with Shantilata and took all necessary steps to recover the grabbed land.

Later, with the help of locals, the UNO had the new house built on the plot for Shantilata. They named it Shantineer - abode of peace. Which is all Shantilata desires, and surely does deserve at this stage of her life.