In an unusual turn of events in Karnataka, Ganapati Kakatkar, a 62-year-old villager from Savgaon, approached Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan on Monday with an unexpected plea — to prove he was alive. Armed with his death certificate, Ganapati sought help after a clerical error had left him without an Aadhaar card, access to his bank account, and several government benefits.
The issue began when Ganapati and his brothers applied for a succession certificate to claim their share of land inherited from their late grandfather, Masanu Shattu Kakatkar, who passed away in 1976. While most of the land was divided among Masanu’s three sons, a portion remained in his name. After the sons passed away, the property was to be transferred to the eight grandsons, including Ganapati. However, the process was delayed due to the lack of Masanu’s death certificate, which was eventually issued by a local court.
The complications began when a computer operator at the Hindalga revenue office mistakenly entered Ganapati’s Aadhaar number instead of his grandfather’s, declaring him deceased. Despite numerous attempts to correct the error, Ganapati’s efforts were ignored until he met Deputy Commissioner Roshan, who assured him the issue would be resolved promptly.
