Demolition in Saharanpur as part of the court-ordered demolition process.
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.
The Muslim side has contested the basis for the demolition, arguing that the City Magistrate’s order had directed that the mosque be vacated but had not explicitly ordered its demolition.
In 2025, Bajrang Dal regional convener Vikas Tyagi had filed a petition in the court of the city magistrate, alleging that the structure located within the collectorate premises was illegal.
Subsequently, the Saharanpur city magistrate declared the structure illegal and issued an order for its demolition. The mosque management committee appealed against the order in the district court, which on September 2 rejected its appeal.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, without directly referring to the demolition of the mosque, said in a post on X, “Let the BJP commit as much injustice as it wants… using the shield of law to perpetrate illegal acts may hold for a while, but it cannot last forever.”
Referring to the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Yadav said, “The BJP, which has looted donations and offerings made to the temple, what would it know of the value of symbols of faith? The entire Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain minority, backward classes, and Dalit communities are watching how atrocities against them are increasing.”
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai, in a post on X in Hindi, said, “The news of the demolition of the mosque built in 1911 in the Saharanpur collectorate complex is extremely heartbreaking and shameful. Politics of hate and division does not strengthen society; rather, it weakens social harmony and brotherhood.”
The Congress believes justice must be done to every religion, every community and every citizen of Uttar Pradesh. “The BJP government must understand that while religious buildings can be demolished with bulldozers, the voice of democracy and rights of people cannot be suppressed. Uttar Pradesh is the land of brotherhood, justice, and social harmony. It cannot be turned into an arena for politics of hate and division,” Rai said.
MP Imran Masood also said the Muslim side would move the High Court, and cited revenue records that he said carried the names of Wahid Khan and Yaqub Khan, arguing that the structure’s long-standing presence and the revenue records should have been taken into account.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, in a post on X in Hindi, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of declaring mosques illegal “in great haste” and proceeding to demolish them. “The government should immediately halt this and adopt other measures to resolve these issues to avoid such negative situations,” she said.
She said it is the duty of the constitutional, secular government to equally respect followers of all religions, their religious sites and ensure their safety. “In Islam, mosques are an integral part of daily worship. Keeping this in mind, and in accordance with Indian traditions, it is essential to accord them respect in the interest of the nation and the broader public good.”
The BSP chief further said people are greatly disturbed by the demolition of a house of an accused person “without adherence to laws”, which has rendered an entire family homeless.
Rejecting the opposition’s charges, Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar told reporters in Ballia that the demolition of the mosque located inside the Saharanpur collectorate premises was carried out in accordance with a court order.
The development comes amid similar administrative action against alleged illegal religious structures in other parts of Uttar Pradesh.
This post was last modified on September 5, 2026 6:12 pm