Uttar Pradesh authorities demolish mosque in DM office complex, place MP under house arrest

NEW DELHI: Authorities on Saturday demolished a mosque located inside the District Magistrate's office complex in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur after a court upheld an earlier order declaring the structure illegal. Senior administrative officials, including the District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the site as bulldozers began demolishing the structure. The Collectorate complex was placed under heavy security, with Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel deployed and all gates shut as a precaution.

Iqra Hasan placed under house arrest

Meanwhile, Samajawadi Party MP Iqra Hussain was put under house arrest at her residence ahead of her scheduled visit to Saharanpur. Hasan said that a large police force was deployed outside her residence overnight and prevented her from leaving for Saharanpur. "A large police force was deployed at my Kairana residence overnight, and I was placed under house arrest to prevent me from going to Saharanpur. I intended to visit Saharanpur to meet officials regarding the Collectorate mosque issue and to voice the concerns of the people of my constituency, but I was not even allowed to leave my home," Hasan told news agency ANI. "In a democracy, public representatives are elected to raise the voice of the people. That voice cannot be suppressed by stopping me," she added. The demolition came a day after the District Judge's court dismissed an appeal filed by the Muslim side challenging the City Magistrate's order. On September 4, the District Judge's court, after hearing arguments from both sides and examining the evidence presented, upheld the City Magistrate's order declaring the mosque illegal. The City Magistrate's court had on July 17 ordered the demolition of the mosque 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 Bajrang Dal, who alleged that the mosque had been built illegally inside the DM office complex, a sensitive government premises where confidential administrative work is carried out.

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The complaint also alleged that the premises were being used for commercial purposes apart from religious activities. According to the allegations, a post office was operating from the site and some rooms had been rented out to outsiders, with the mosque committee allegedly collecting monthly rent. The district administration had argued that the alleged encroachment and commercial use of the premises raised security concerns, particularly given the sensitive nature of government operations conducted there. The development comes amid similar administrative action against alleged illegal religious structures in various parts of Uttar Pradesh.

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