Declared ‘illegal’, mosque in Saharanpur collectorate complex razed, mutawalli says due process not followed

A mosque in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh was demolished early Saturday morning, despite being declared illegal two months prior. The demolition took place amid heavy police presence, with the mosque management committee claiming the action did not adhere to proper legal procedures. The Saharanpur City Magistrate dismissed an appeal by the mosque management against a July order declaring the structure unauthorized and ordering its eviction.

The court's decision followed a complaint filed by a resident alleging the mosque was constructed on government land without permission. The magistrate had fined the illegal occupants Rs 6.41 crore for their unauthorized occupation of the 315-square-meter plot. Tanveer Ahmed, the mosque's mutawalli, stated that the mosque was nearly 150 years old and that the eviction order was dismissed by the district court, but the demolition proceeded without a proper demolition order.

The Opposition parties and opposition MPs criticized the BJP government for what they deemed an attack on the country's Constitution and the principles of due process.