A mosque inside the Saharanpur collectorate complex was demolished by the district administration early Saturday morning, days after a district judge’s court upheld an earlier order declaring the structure illegal, officials said.
The demolition was carried out amid tight security, with all five gates of the collectorate sealed and a heavy security contingent, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), deployed to maintain law and order, they added.
Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh said the city magistrate’s court had found that the structure at the Saharanpur collectorate was illegally constructed on government land. “The Mosque Committee’s appeal was subsequently dismissed, paving the way for the demolition. Authorities had taken all preventive measures to maintain law and order and were strictly following established legal procedures,” the DIG said.
JCB machines, dumpers and other demolition equipment were brought inside the collectorate premises during the night. Senior police and administrative officials remained at the site as the administration began removing the mosque structure early Saturday morning.
The entire collectorate complex was placed under heightened security before the operation. No outsiders were allowed inside, while police deployment was increased in surrounding areas and additional personnel were brought in from other districts, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}The entire collectorate complex was placed under heightened security before the operation. No outsiders were allowed inside, while police deployment was increased in surrounding areas and additional personnel were brought in from other districts, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}The police administration and local intelligence unit had assessed the situation across the district ahead of the demolition. Following intelligence gathering and security assessments, police movement around the Collectorate had increased from late Friday evening, they added.
Court order paves way for demolition
The action followed a September 2 order of the district judge’s court, which upheld the earlier decision of the city magistrate’s court concerning the mosque.
The dispute dates back to a complaint filed by Vikas Tyagi, former provincial convenor of the Bajrang Dal. Following the complaint, a petition under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act was filed before the city magistrate’s court on March 24, 2025.
On July 16, 2026, the city magistrate’s court declared the mosque illegal and imposed a penalty of ₹6.41 crore.
The mosque side challenged the order before the district judge’s court on July 20, 2026. The case was heard on 17 dates before the court before the matter was decided on September 2.
Kairana MP claims ‘house arrest’
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP from Kairana Iqra Hasan alleged that she was placed under house arrest at her residence before she could travel to Saharanpur.
Hasan claimed that police force arrived at her residence as she was preparing to leave for Saharanpur to meet officials and raise concerns of people in the area.
“To prevent me from going to Saharanpur last night, a large police force was deployed at my Kairana residence and I was placed under house arrest,” Hasan alleged on Saturday.
Saharanpur district comes under the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, which Hasan represents.
The SP MP questioned if it had become a crime for an elected representative to meet government officials over issues concerning people in her constituency.
“In a democracy, public representatives are elected to raise the voice of the people. That voice cannot be suppressed by stopping me,” she said.
In a post on X, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also flayed the government over the alleged house arrest of MP Iqra Hasan. “Maintaining communal harmony was the government’s greatest responsibility as well as its achievement,” he said.
SP, BSP, Cong flay govt
The Opposition parties criticised the government over the bulldozer action on Saturday.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav questioned the timing and manner of the demolition, asking why the matter was not allowed to proceed to the high court or Supreme Court. He alleged that the action was given a communal colour to divert attention from alleged irregularities involving funds related to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
BSP supremo Mayawati criticised what she described as the government’s campaign of declaring mosques illegal and demolishing them in haste. She urged the UP government to immediately stop such actions and explore alternative means of resolving disputes.
In a series of posts on X, Mayawati said the demolition of mosques, including the one in Saharanpur, in an atmosphere of haste was “not right” and could create negative circumstances. She urged the government to put an immediate halt to such action and find other ways to resolve disputes involving religious structures.
Meanwhile, UP Congress president Ajay Rai also took to X, terming the mosque demolition “heartbreaking and shameful.”
“The news of the demolition of the mosque built in 1911 inside the Saharanpur collectorate complex is extremely heartbreaking and shameful. Politics of hate and division does not strengthen society; it weakens social harmony and brotherhood,” Rai said.
“Congress Party clearly believes that justice must be done to every religion, every community, and every citizen in Uttar Pradesh. BJP must understand that while religious buildings can be demolished with bulldozers, the voice of democracy and the rights of the people cannot be suppressed,” Rai wrote on X.