Highlights
- Saharanpur Collectorate Mosque was sealed at night, demolition started with bulldozer in the morning.
- The district court upheld the order of the city magistrate and rejected the petition of the Muslim side.
- MP Iqra Hasan was stopped from going to Saharanpur, Imran Masood said – will go to the High Court.
Saharanpur: A portion of a mosque built on government land in the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh was bulldozed on Saturday morning. The administration began the demolition process in the morning after sealing the mosque overnight. A heavy police force was deployed in the Collectorate complex and surrounding areas during the operation. All entry points were closed, and the area remained on high alert.
It is reported that this action was taken following the City Magistrate’s order and the District Court’s decision on a petition filed by the Muslim side. On Thursday, District Judge Satendra Kumar’s court dismissed the Muslim side’s petition and upheld the City Magistrate Court’s July 16, 2026, order. The court deemed the disputed land to be government land.
Mosque sealed at night, bulldozers ran in the morning
The administration team sealed the mosque located in the Collectorate premises late Friday night. Subsequently, on Saturday morning, a bulldozer arrived at the site and began demolishing the portion of the mosque that the administration believes is built on government land. In view of the action, all entry points to the Collectorate were closed. The ADM and the Municipal Corporation team were present at the scene. Police from more than 10 police stations, along with the PAC, were deployed for security. The administration has tightened security arrangements in view of public anger and potential protests.
What is the whole matter related to the mosque?
Last month, the City Magistrate’s Court declared the mosque on the Collectorate premises illegal and ordered its eviction and demolition. Following this, the Muslim side approached the District Judge’s Court seeking a stay on the proceedings. On Thursday, the District Judge’s Court dismissed the Muslim side’s petition and upheld the City Magistrate’s July 16th order. Following this, the administration sealed the mosque overnight and began demolition proceedings the following morning.
‘The order was to vacate, not to demolish’
The Muslim side says that the City Magistrate ordered the mosque to be vacated, not demolished. The side is now preparing to appeal the district court’s decision to the High Court. Former MP Fazlur Rahman also appealed to the administration not to take any hasty steps. He stated that after receiving no relief from the district court, the legal battle for the mosque’s evacuation would now be vigorously fought in the High Court. He stated that the mosque side still has approximately 22 days to present its case in court.
‘Will go to High Court, appeal to people for peace’
Before the demolition of the mosque, Congress MP Imran Masood said that the Muslim side would approach the High Court regarding the matter. He appealed to the public to maintain peace and said that the case would proceed legally. Imran Masood claimed that the names of Wahid Khan and Yakub Khan are recorded in the records of the disputed land, and that these names date back to ancient times. He said that such revenue records and the long-standing existence of the religious site cannot be ignored.
Iqra Hasan was stopped from going to Saharanpur
Samajwadi Party MP from Kairana, Iqra Hasan, attempted to travel to Saharanpur, but was stopped by police. It is reported that a large number of police personnel were deployed at her Kairana residence late at night, preventing her from leaving. According to Iqra Hasan, she wanted to go to Saharanpur to meet with officials and learn about the entire situation. Security remained extremely tight at the Saharanpur Collectorate and surrounding areas during the mosque raid.
