Saharanpur mosque demolished 3 days after appeal dismissed: What the court orders said

On Saturday, the mosque situated inside the Saharanpur collectorate complex was demolished amidst heightened security measures. This came after the district court validated an order declaring the structure as illegal. The administration cordoned off all five gates of the collectorate premises prior to the demolition, and outside individuals were barred from entering.

A significant police force, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) members, was stationed at the site and nearby locations to maintain order. JCB machines, dumpers, and other machinery arrived overnight for the demolition process, which commenced early Saturday morning and resulted in the mosque's destruction.

The decision was based on a September 2 order by the district judge's court, which upheld the city magistrate's court ruling from July 16. The city magistrate had also imposed a penalty of Rs 6.41 crore. The dispute originated from a complaint filed by Vikas Tyagi, a former Bajrang Dal state convenor. A petition under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act was submitted to the city magistrate's court on March 24, 2025.

The city magistrate declared the mosque illegal on July 16, 2026. The mosque's side contested the order before the district judge's court on July 20, and the district court dismissed the petition after hearing it 17 times.

Following the court's decision, the administration increased security from Friday evening after evaluating the situation and receiving intelligence about potential reactions. Additional police personnel were also deployed from other districts. Kairana MP Iqra Hasan was reportedly placed under house arrest at her residence in Kairana, preventing her from leaving for Saharanpur.

Hasan claimed she was preparing to meet officials regarding the collectorate mosque issue and address the concerns of people in the area. She questioned whether an elected MP could be restrained from meeting officials over a matter concerning the public, asserting that elected representatives were meant to raise people's concerns.

The demolition sparked political reactions, with opposition leaders criticizing the government's action. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav argued that those who don't respect other religions cannot claim to be true followers of Sanatan Dharma, stating that interfering with another person's faith is against the spirit of Sanatan Dharma.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also raised concerns, questioning whether the constitutional right to religious freedom was no longer available to Muslims. He inquired about the repeated demolition of places of worship on what he termed weak and fabricated grounds. The administration has maintained a heavy security presence around the collectorate following the demolition, closely monitoring the situation to avert any potential incidents.