Former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralidaran has surrendered the 206 kanals (25.75 acres) of land allotted to him at Bhagthali-II Industrial Estate in Kathua, Jammu. The land was meant for a beverage can manufacturing unit.
Industries and Commerce Minister Surinder Choudhary shared this information in the legislative assembly while responding to a starred question from People's Democratic Party legislator Waheed ur Rehman Parra. He said that over 11,546 kanals (1,443.35 acres) of land—6,014 kanals (751.75 acres) in the Jammu division and 5,532 kanals (691.5 acres) in the Kashmir division—have been transferred to the industries and commerce department for new industrial estates. However, the minister did not explain why Muralidaran gave up the land.
Jammu, J&K: CPI(M) MLA Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan's plan to invest in Kathua says, "I asked this question in the House that what is the government's policy regarding the land being taken from the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir. An… pic.twitter.com/QKOBj19gUn
— IANS (@ians_india) March 8, 2025
Earlier, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami had questioned the allotment, raising concerns over its legal basis. Congress MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir also called for transparency, describing it as a serious issue requiring immediate scrutiny. Agriculture Production Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar acknowledged the concerns but stated that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the revenue department.
The issue has reignited debates over land allotment policies in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly regarding foreign investors.
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Muralidaran had planned to invest ₹1,642 crore to establish aluminium can manufacturing and beverage filling units. His company, Ceylon Beverages, already operates a plant in Karnataka and had planned to expand into Jammu and Kashmir. However, opposition leaders are demanding greater transparency in the land allotment process, making it a politically sensitive issue.
Muralidaran is one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket and the highest wicket-taker from Sri Lanka. He holds the world record for the most five-wicket hauls in an innings and the most ten-wicket hauls in a match. He was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup, averaging over six wickets per test match.
