By News Desk
Saharanpur: A mosque located inside the District Magistrate’s office complex in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur was demolished on Saturday, September 5, a day after the District Judge’s court dismissed an appeal filed by the Muslim side against an earlier order declaring the structure illegal.
Senior administrative officials, including the District Magistrate and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the site as bulldozers began the demolition. The Collectorate complex was placed under heavy security, with Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel deployed and all gates shut as a precaution. The mosque was reportedly sealed on Friday night before the structure was razed the next morning.
District Judge Satendra Kumar, after hearing arguments from both sides and examining the evidence presented, upheld the City Magistrate’s order on Thursday, September 4, rejecting the appeal filed by the Muslim side.
The City Magistrate’s court, headed by Kuldeep Singh, had on July 17 declared the mosque illegal, ordered its demolition, and imposed compensation of around Rs 6.41 crore on the occupants over alleged illegal encroachment and misuse of government land.
The case was initiated following a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, who alleged that the mosque had been built illegally inside the DM office complex, a government premises where confidential administrative work is carried out. The complaint also alleged that the premises were being used for commercial purposes apart from religious activities, with a post office reportedly operating from the site and some rooms allegedly rented out to outsiders, with the mosque committee collecting monthly rent.
The district administration argued that the alleged encroachment and commercial use of the premises raised security concerns, given the sensitive nature of government operations carried out there.
This story was originally published in siasat.com. Read the full story here.
