Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has refused to stay the demolition of a mosque in Sambhal district, dismissing a petition filed by the Muslim side on Saturday. The court advised the petitioners to approach the lower court for relief against the demolition order.
Mosque Built on Pond Land, Demolition Underway
According to the administration, the mosque was built on land classified as a pond. On October 2, officials reached Raya Buzurg village in Asmoli area with bulldozers to demolish the structure along with an adjacent marriage hall, also allegedly built on encroached land. While the marriage hall was razed, district officials granted locals four days’ time to dismantle the mosque themselves. Following this, villagers began tearing down its outer walls on Thursday and Friday.
Petitioners Cite Public Holiday and Lack of Notice
On Friday, mosque caretaker Minjar Hussain moved an urgent petition before the Allahabad High Court, seeking an immediate halt to the demolition. The plea was heard for nearly an hour and fifteen minutes. Advocate Arvind Kumar Tripathi, representing the petitioners, argued that the demolition drive was carried out on October 2, a public holiday, leaving them with no option but to move an urgent appeal.
Tripathi told the court that the demolition order itself had not been served to them. “The Supreme Court has held that demolition should always be the last resort, but this principle was ignored in Sambhal’s case,” he said. On Saturday, after reviewing the demolition order, the court declined to intervene and directed the petitioners to file an appeal in the trial court.
Details of the Mosque and Demolition Timeline
The mosque in question, named Gausulbara, was built about ten years ago on 550 square feet of land. Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh said that during a district survey of encroachments, both the mosque and the adjoining marriage hall were identified as illegal structures. Notices were issued on September 2, and red markings were placed on the buildings on September 13 before demolition was initiated.
Authorities and Local Leaders Urge Calm
Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq urged people not to take matters into their own hands. “I appeal to everyone not to touch the mosque or use force. If something wrong is happening, seek legal remedies. Let the police and administration do their work,” he said.
Partial Demolition by Locals After Extension
On October 2, the administration deployed four bulldozers to the site. While the marriage hall was demolished after nearly four hours of operation, locals sought more time from District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia to handle the mosque. Following the extension, villagers began partial demolition themselves after Friday prayers.
Concerns Over Timing and Legal Remedies
The petitioners had argued in court that choosing Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra, both public holidays, for the demolition was provocative and risked sparking unrest. They maintained that while the marriage hall stood on pond land, only a portion of the mosque overlapped with government land.
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Next Legal Steps
With the High Court’s refusal to grant relief, the mosque caretaker has announced that a fresh appeal will be filed in the trial court. Meanwhile, security remains tight in the area to prevent any flare-up.
