A local revenue court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district has ordered the removal of a mosque, a shrine and several houses in Saif Khan Sarai village, while imposing a fine of nearly ₹6.95 crore on two local imams, triggering anger among residents who allege that Muslim religious sites are increasingly being targeted in the state.
The Tehsildar Court issued an order stating that the structures had been built illegally on village community land and directed authorities to clear the site if the decision is not challenged within 30 days.
Imams of the mosque, Aftab Hussain and Mehtab Hussain, who lead prayers in the village, have been named in the case. They are accused of encroaching upon a plot recorded as Khata No. 452, measuring around 0.134 hectares, which revenue records describe as village community land reserved for plantation.
According to the order, the land had previously been leased but was later restored to the village community in the 1970s. The court held that the mosque, shrine and nearby houses were constructed without legal approval and directed their removal.
The court also rejected the imams’ claim that the land belonged to the Waqf Board after examining the revenue records. Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar Singh said the order was based on documentary evidence.
“According to revenue records, the land belongs to the village community and has been illegally occupied. Based on the available documents and evidence, the court ordered eviction,” Singh said. The order directs revenue officials to recover the fine and remove the structures if no appeal is filed within a month.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.
