UP govt begins demolition of mosque in Sambhal amid land ownership row
The Uttar Pradesh administration began demolishing the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Sambhal, saying it was built on government land, after legal challenges by the mosque committee were rejected.
The Uttar Pradesh administration on Saturday launched a demolition drive against the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Sambhal district, a structure at the centre of a land ownership dispute, after authorities claimed it had been built on government land, while members of the mosque committee challenged the move through legal channels.
Four bulldozers were pressed into service as officials moved to demolish the mosque, located on a 120-square-metre plot. A large contingent of police and revenue officials was stationed at the site during the operation.
The dispute dates back to a revenue survey conducted in January, during which officials claimed the land on which the mosque stands is recorded as government property.
According to the administration, subsequent scrutiny revealed that the mosque had been registered as Waqf property despite revenue records showing the land belonged to the state.
Officials alleged that documents reflecting the government's ownership of the land were not disclosed when the property was registered with the Waqf Board.
Following the enquiry, an FIR was lodged against seven members of the mosque committee on charges linked to the alleged irregularities.
The Tehsildar's court had issued an eviction order on April 21, directing the removal of what authorities described as an illegal encroachment.
The mosque committee challenged the order before the District Magistrate's court, but the appeal was later rejected, clearing the way for demolition proceedings under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code.
The bulldozer action was carried out by a team led by Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar and Naib Tehsildar Deepak Jurail, along with revenue officials and police personnel. District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal and Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi were present to oversee the proceedings.
The mosque demolition is the latest in a series of anti-encroachment actions undertaken by the district administration. On June 5, authorities demolished the 'Khere Wale Baba Chaman Shah Baba Dargah Sharif' in Gunnour tehsil after revenue courts ruled that the shrine too had been constructed on government land.
District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said a case had been registered against local resident Aziz in connection with the shrine, which authorities alleged was constructed on government land.
"The case was related to encroachment on public land. The tehsildar's court found the construction illegal. The matter was later appealed before the district magistrate's court, where the party was asked to present evidence, but no evidence could be produced," Khandelwal told reporters.
Revenue officials said Aziz was found in possession of nearly 24 square metres of government land where the shrine stood.
Gunnour Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vikas Chandra said the structure had been built around five years ago. Following the tehsildar's eviction order, an appeal was filed before the district magistrate's court, which upheld the original ruling.
Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi described the structure as a religious site and said the action was part of an ongoing drive to reclaim government land under the state's land bank initiative.
"The government had issued directions to free government land under the land bank concept. So far, around 100 hectares of land has been freed from encroachment in the district," he said.
However, Aziz, the caretaker of the shrine, disputed the administration's claims, asserting that the site was 500-600 years old and dedicated to a revered saint.
The Uttar Pradesh administration on Saturday launched a demolition drive against the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Sambhal district, a structure at the centre of a land ownership dispute, after authorities claimed it had been built on government land, while members of the mosque committee challenged the move through legal channels.
Four bulldozers were pressed into service as officials moved to demolish the mosque, located on a 120-square-metre plot. A large contingent of police and revenue officials was stationed at the site during the operation.
The dispute dates back to a revenue survey conducted in January, during which officials claimed the land on which the mosque stands is recorded as government property.
According to the administration, subsequent scrutiny revealed that the mosque had been registered as Waqf property despite revenue records showing the land belonged to the state.
Officials alleged that documents reflecting the government's ownership of the land were not disclosed when the property was registered with the Waqf Board.
Following the enquiry, an FIR was lodged against seven members of the mosque committee on charges linked to the alleged irregularities.
The Tehsildar's court had issued an eviction order on April 21, directing the removal of what authorities described as an illegal encroachment.
The mosque committee challenged the order before the District Magistrate's court, but the appeal was later rejected, clearing the way for demolition proceedings under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code.
The bulldozer action was carried out by a team led by Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar and Naib Tehsildar Deepak Jurail, along with revenue officials and police personnel. District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal and Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi were present to oversee the proceedings.
The mosque demolition is the latest in a series of anti-encroachment actions undertaken by the district administration. On June 5, authorities demolished the 'Khere Wale Baba Chaman Shah Baba Dargah Sharif' in Gunnour tehsil after revenue courts ruled that the shrine too had been constructed on government land.
District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said a case had been registered against local resident Aziz in connection with the shrine, which authorities alleged was constructed on government land.
"The case was related to encroachment on public land. The tehsildar's court found the construction illegal. The matter was later appealed before the district magistrate's court, where the party was asked to present evidence, but no evidence could be produced," Khandelwal told reporters.
Revenue officials said Aziz was found in possession of nearly 24 square metres of government land where the shrine stood.
Gunnour Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vikas Chandra said the structure had been built around five years ago. Following the tehsildar's eviction order, an appeal was filed before the district magistrate's court, which upheld the original ruling.
Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi described the structure as a religious site and said the action was part of an ongoing drive to reclaim government land under the state's land bank initiative.
"The government had issued directions to free government land under the land bank concept. So far, around 100 hectares of land has been freed from encroachment in the district," he said.
However, Aziz, the caretaker of the shrine, disputed the administration's claims, asserting that the site was 500-600 years old and dedicated to a revered saint.
