Highlights
- More than 10.5 bighas of government and graveyard land in Sambhal were cleared of encroachments.
- An Eidgah, a mosque, two minarets and two houses were demolished using bulldozers.
- The drive lasted nearly six hours amid heavy deployment of police personnel.
The Uttar Pradesh administration carried out a major anti-encroachment drive in Sambhal district, clearing more than 10.5 bighas of government and graveyard land from alleged illegal occupation. During the operation, authorities demolished an illegally constructed Eidgah, a mosque, two 30-foot-high minarets and two houses using bulldozers. The demolition drive, which lasted nearly six hours, was carried out at Madhan village of Sambhal district. According to the administration, the government land, valued at over Rs 5 crore, had been under illegal occupation for several years.
Illegal plotting was allegedly underway on the land
Officials said illegal plotting had also been taking place on the land over the past three to four years. After the matter reached the court, directions were issued in April to remove all unauthorised constructions.
Acting on the court's orders, the administration launched the demolition drive. According to officials, the Eidgah, mosque, minarets and other structures had been built on government and graveyard land without permission. Authorities also alleged that parts of the land were being illegally divided into plots for commercial use. The administration said the encroachments were removed before the land could be put to further unauthorised use.
Heavy security deployed during demolition drive
Elaborate security arrangements were made to maintain law and order during the operation. The District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Tehsildar and other senior officials remained present at the site throughout the drive. Around 100 personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
The process of land measurement and demarcation was carried out by a team comprising two Naib Tehsildars and eight Lekhpals. After completing the survey, authorities demolished the identified illegal structures, including two houses built on government land.
Administration says action against encroachments will continue
According to the administration, illegal construction and encroachment activities had increased significantly in the area over the last three to four years. Officials alleged that attempts were being made to convert the government land into commercial plots through unauthorised development. The administration maintained that illegal occupation of government land would not be tolerated and asserted that similar action against encroachments would continue in the future.
What is known so far
While the administration has maintained that the demolition was carried out in compliance with court directions and after due demarcation of the land, there has been no immediate public response from the management of the demolished religious structures or any legal challenge reported following the action. As with similar demolition drives involving religious structures, the matter could attract legal and political attention if challenged before higher courts, as per reports.
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