**Puri:** The Puri administration on Wednesday decided that it will launch a probe into the 16-acre land illegal encroachments and land grabs affecting Swargadwar (crematorium) expansion process.
Speaking to media persons, Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal said expansion plans of the existing Swargadwar will be carried out and action will be taken against the culprits.
“We will examine if there are some fraudulent paperwork or instances fraud to transfer the land to private possession and If required we will also go for a criminal investigation to take the possession back,” the collector vowed.
On the other hand, Puri Municipality Chairman Jayant Kumar Sarangi said nobody has encroached the Swargadwara land as there is evidence about it.
Notably, several hotels and business establishments came up on the 16-acre land allotted for the Swargadwar by the Shankaracharya mutt, along the Puri sea beach over last few years.
