More than 500 people gathered near an open plot in Vikhroli area of Mumbai following rumours about land being provided free of cost to the poor, officials said on Monday.

According to a PTI report, local authorities and police removed them from the spot, but they are still staying put in the vicinity in the hope of getting free land, they said.

The officials also informed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed people from the spot three times in the last 20 days, but they are not ready to leave.

The people, who were misled by the rumours, started reserving 300 to 400 square feet areas for themselves with bamboo sticks, cloth pieces and other material, a police official said.

This happened after some rumours spread that the government was distributing land for free. There were also rumours that the daughter of a wealthy man was giving away land free of cost to poor people in the memory of her father, who died recently, he said.

However, when authorities at the BMC, police and local administration came to know about it, they went to the spot and removed these people and their material on Saturday and Sunday, he added.

So far, the Vikhroli police have not received any complaint from the BMC, collector or the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). Hence, no case has been registered against anyone, the official said.