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10 illegal shrines demolished in UP’s Bahraich
city magistrate Rajesh Prasad said a notice was issued on January 10, directing the committee that manages the dargah of Rasul Shah Baswari to remove the illegal shrines by Jan 17
The authorities on Monday demolished 10 illegal shrines situated within the premises of Maharaja Suheldev Autonomous State Medical College in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district. The operation was carried out following a 24-year-old legal process.
Confirming the action, city magistrate Rajesh Prasad said a formal notice was issued on January 10, directing the committee that manages the dargah (mausoleum) of Rasul Shah Baswari to voluntarily remove the illegal shrines by January 17. As the deadline passed without compliance, the district administration razed them on instructions of the district magistrate, he added.
Personnel from three police stations along with ASP (city) Ashok Singh, municipal executive officer Pramita Singh, SDM (Sadar) Pooja Chaudhary were also present on the occasion, said Prasad who was also there.
The action traces its roots to 2002 when the then city magistrate declared the 10 additional shrines illegal and ordered their removal. These shrines had been gradually established adjacent to the centuries-old ‘Astana’ (burial place or dargah) of Rasul Shah Baswari near the DM’s office. The original two shrines at the place remain legally registered with the Waqf Board and were not touched during the demolition.
The managing committee challenged the 2002 order through appeals — first to the DM (dismissed in 2004) and later to the divisional commissioner, who upheld the original decision in 2019 after 15-year pendency.
The situation gained new urgency after Maharaja Suheldev medical college was established in 2023, bringing the illegal structures within its official premises. Officials emphasised that the drive was strictly legal and targeted only the structures declared illegal through due judicial process. No untoward incident was reported during the operation.
