Sambhal (UP), Nov 12 (PTI) A mosque constructed illegally on public land was being demolished in a village in Asmoli

Sambhal (UP), Nov 12 (PTI) A mosque constructed illegally on public land was being demolished in a village in Asmoli

Sambhal (UP), Nov 12 (PTI) A mosque constructed illegally on public land was being demolished in a village in Asmoli

    Sambhal (UP), Nov 12 (PTI) A mosque constructed illegally on public land was being demolished in a village in Asmoli area of Sambhal district on Thursday amid heavy police deployment, an official said.

    Circle Officer (Asmoli) Aman Singh said police and revenue officials had received complaints from local residents over a month ago that the mosque was being constructed illegally on land meant for public use in Qutubpur Satta village.

    Following this, a joint team of police and revenue officials inspected the site and found the construction to be illegal, he said.

    After an inquiry, the sub-divisional magistrate (Sambhal) passed an order declaring the construction illegal and directing its demolition, Singh said.

    The issue also figured at a press conference in Lucknow where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Azad Samaj Party leader Chandrashekhar Aazad announced the formation of a new alliance, the Samajik Parivartan Morcha (SPM), for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections.

    Responding to a question on the mosque demolition, Aazad said, "Hum lagenge, hum lagenge" (We will fight).

    Speaking to reporters, Sambhal tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh said the land fell under gata number 57 'ka' and measured 150 sq m.     

    He said the Waqf Board had long ago declared it "waqf property by nature", where fresh construction could not be undertaken without its permission.

    "Following a complaint by villagers, the matter was investigated by the district minority welfare officer. The Waqf Board informed the authorities that it had not granted permission for any new construction on the land. The unauthorised construction is being removed today," the tehsildar said.

    He said the new construction was two to three months old, while the original structure was 15-20 years old.

    "It was found that a new tradition of offering namaz was being established there. Whatever has been newly constructed will be demolished," he said.    Revenue officials and police personnel were present at the site to carry out the action, the circle officer added.

    Four station house officers and police personnel from 10 police stations have been deployed, along with a platoon of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), the officer said.

    As the site is located in a populated area, police personnel have also been deployed on rooftops to maintain surveillance. The area is being monitored through drones as well to ensure that the demolition is carried out peacefully, Singh added.

    Asked whether the SPM leadership would visit Sambhal, Aazad said, "We will fight for every inch of our land, our mosques and mausoleums. We will increase our strength and this will end such injustice."

    Neither Owaisi nor Aazad clarified whether they would visit Sambhal.

    Owaisi is scheduled to visit Meerut on November 14. Aazad is the Lok Sabha member from Nagina constituency in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)