In a bizarre and distressing incident, a 62-year-old man from Savgaon village in Belagavi taluk has spent the last 17 months battling government bureaucracy to prove he is alive after being mistakenly declared dead due to a clerical error.
Ganapati Khachu Kakatkar’s ordeal began when he and his brothers applied for a succession certificate to claim 6 acres and 23 guntas of land left by their grandfather, Masanu Shattu Kakatkar, who passed away in 1976. Masanu had divided his land among his three sons, keeping a portion for himself. After the deaths of Masanu and his sons, Ganapati and his siblings sought to transfer the remaining land to their names.
The issue arose when the family approached the tahsildar’s office for their grandfather’s death certificate but faced delays. Following a court directive, the certificate was finally prepared at the Hindalga Revenue Inspector’s office. However, a grave mistake occurred when a computer operator entered Ganapati’s Aadhaar number instead of his grandfather’s, printing it on the death certificate. This error locked Ganapati’s Aadhaar number, removed his name from the ration card, and officially declared him deceased in government records.
Ganapati discovered the error on August 3, 2023, and since then, has been visiting multiple government offices seeking a resolution. Despite his efforts, officials showed little urgency in addressing the mistake. As a result, Ganapati has been deprived of critical benefits, including old-age pensions, food grains, crop-loss compensation, and PM Kisan Fund assistance.
In a desperate attempt to resolve the issue, Ganapati approached Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan on January 6, 2025, accompanied by his family and lawyer. After hearing his plight, the deputy commissioner assured Ganapati that immediate action would be taken and directed the assistant commissioner to resolve the issue.
This harrowing experience underscores the devastating consequences of clerical errors and bureaucratic apathy. While Ganapati awaits the restoration of his identity, his struggle serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by ordinary citizens in navigating flawed administrative systems.
