Demolition of a mosque has begun in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The eviction drive was carried out on Thursday in Qutubpur Satta village in the district’s Asmoli area. A large number of police were deployed at the site to keep law and order. Police say the mosque was built without approval.
Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar Singh said the mosque had been built without the Waqf Board’s permission on about 150 square metres of land declared waqf, in a residential area. “The structure was built without approval. A drive is being carried out today to remove the illegal structure,” he said.
Asmoli circle officer Aman Singh said that more than a month ago local residents complained to police and revenue officials that a mosque was being built illegally on land set aside for the village’s public use.
A joint team from the departments concerned then inspected the site and confirmed that the construction had no approval. After the inquiry, Sambhal’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) declared the structure illegal and ordered its removal.
To keep the operation secure, four station house officers (SHOs), police from 10 police stations and a platoon of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed.
Police were also seen positioned on the roofs of nearby buildings to keep watch, and the whole area was monitored by drone. Extra precautions were taken so that no trouble broke out during the operation in the densely populated area.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report