By Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Even as the legal dispute surrounding Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid remains unresolved, another mosque in the Uttar Pradesh district has come under scrutiny after allegations were made regarding its ownership status and alleged alterations to a protected structure.
The latest controversy concerns the Baba Bahauddin Shah Mosque in Sambhal’s Chaudhary Sarai area, where a complaint has been filed claiming that the mosque stands on an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected property and that its original structure has been altered.
The complaint was submitted by Subhash Chandra Tyagi, national coordinator of Shri Kalki Sena and a practising lawyer, who alleged that changes had been made to the mosque despite its status as a protected monument. Following the complaint, Sambhal District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal ordered an inquiry and directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) to examine the matter.
The development has sparked fresh debate in the district, which has witnessed heightened tensions in recent months following litigation and competing claims regarding the Shahi Jama Masjid.
According to the complaint submitted to the district administration, Tyagi alleged that the mosque is an ASI-protected structure but its original form has been substantially modified over time.
“Despite being a protected property of the ASI, changes have been made to the structure. It has been given the appearance of a fort,” Tyagi alleged.
He further claimed that the structure had been altered in a manner that could pose security concerns. He also alleged that individuals involved in disturbances during earlier incidents in Sambhal had emerged from the mosque premises. These allegations have not been independently verified and no official findings supporting the claims were cited in the material provided.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
