The graveyard nestles much more than familial ensembles. Social worker Nizamuddin Lightwala says bootleggers use the graves to hide liquor. Gambling has also been noticed, although the Behrampura police post is a stone's throw away.

Bukharibaba ka kabristan seems to have no one to manage it. But things are no better at other graveyards which have managing committees -- the Ganj-e-Shaheedan graveyard near Danilimda along National Highway number 8, for instance.

Originally sprawling over 36 bigha, it has shrunk to less than six bigha, on account of encroachments and renting of space by the Ganj Shaheed Vatav Shaheed Dargah Trust over the years. At least 600 kutcha homes, textile process units and 100-odd shopsdot the road leading to it, while 200 kutcha homes, and at least three textile processing units are located right in the middle of the graveyard and have power, water and telephone connections. The trustees have filed eviction suits against the process units, which got the land on rent over half-a-century ago.

Ahmed Diwan, a social activist who is fighting for the graveyard residents, says 150 cases are pending in courts for the last 30 years, with only one having been decided. Part of the land is now covered by the Town Planning Scheme number 13. Diwan says the State Government plans to build houses for the weaker sections here.

Local Member of the Legislative Assembly Usmangani Devdiwala admits the graveyards are being ``misused by anti-socials'', adding it is ``not desirable'' to live in graveyards. A plan is being finalised to shift the encroachers. he says, adding, ``I will convince them to move out.''

An office-bearer of the Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee, which manages five graveyards, wasunwilling to speak, in view of the issue being sub-judice. But a trustee of Ganj-e-Shaheedan graveyard said they had to put up with strong resistance from the encroachers.

The trustee, who said he too faced threats, said no one paid rent, and the arrears had accumulated to Rs 37 lakh. ``The AMC and Collectorate are not taking interest in the matter'', he complained.