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Call for Inquiry: Saharanpur Mosque Demolition Sparks Controversy

Authorities said the 100-year-old structure was removed under court directions after an appeal was rejected, while police deployed extra forces and critics demanded a probe.

  • On Saturday, authorities demolished a mosque inside the Saharanpur Collectorate in Uttar Pradesh after a district court dismissed an appeal declaring the structure unauthorized, conducting the operation before dawn under heavy security.
  • The City Magistrate ordered demolition in July 2026 citing encroachment on government land; the Saharanpur District Judge's court upheld this decision on September 2 after hearing the mosque committee's appeal on 17 occasions.
  • A century-old, 20-foot-deep well discovered beneath the site's debris on Sunday prompted an Archaeological Survey of India investigation; Provincial Armed Constabulary and Rapid Action Force personnel secured the area with multiple police deployments.
  • Opposition leaders including Congress MP Imran Masood condemned the action as a "mockery of law and order," alleging the demolition occurred while legal remedies remained. Masood claimed the Constitution had been "torn to shreds."
  • The demolition's timing, roughly four months before the 2027 Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, led opposition parties to cite political motives. The BJP maintains the process strictly followed legal procedures and court directives.
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rediff.com broke the news on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
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