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September 26 Bareilly violence: Bareilly Development Authority demolishes illegal banquet hall of Tauqeer Raza’s close aide
The action was carried out amid heavy police deployment in Faridapur Chaudhary village under the Izzatnagar police station limits.
In a major development related to the September 26 violence in Bareilly, the Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) on Tuesday demolished a banquet hall owned by Wahid Beg, a property dealer and close associate of Maulana Tauqeer Raza, the prime accused in the city unrest. The action was carried out amid heavy police deployment in Faridapur Chaudhary village under the Izzatnagar police station limits.
The demolition drive began around 11:30 am, with a Poklane machine and two bulldozers used to raze the structure. In the initial phase, a few women tried to protest, but police quickly intervened, allowing the BDA to continue with the operation.
According to officials, the banquet hall was demolished for violating building norms, as it had no BDA-approved map. The district administration deputed Ramjanam Yadav as the on-site magistrate to oversee the proceedings, ATC City Saurabh Dubey also present. The police contingent was led by SP City Manush Pareek, while the BDA team was headed by Joint Secretary Deepak Kumar.
Explaining the action, BDA Joint Secretary Deepak Kumar said that Wahid Beg had constructed the banquet hall by enclosing a boundary over approximately 400 square metres of land in village Faridapur Chaudhary on Siklapur Road. “No approved building map was produced at the site. A notice was issued to Wahid Beg on October 6, following which the banquet hall was sealed the same day,” he said.
The hearing on the notice was scheduled for October 18, but Wahid Beg did not appear. Later, on November 11, his brother Avid Beg appeared before the authority, submitting an application seeking the de-sealing of the premises. He also presented a copy of an order issued on November 4 by the Special Secretary in a revision petition titled Wahid Beg vs BDA.
Deepak Kumar said the special secretary’s order directed the authority to provide an opportunity of hearing to the revisionist and dispose of the case in accordance with the Uttar Pradesh Development Authorities Model Building Construction and Development By-laws and the Model Zoning Regulations, 2025. “After completing all procedural requirements in compliance with the order, the demolition action has now been carried out,” he added.
SP City Manush Pareek stated that the demolition was being conducted strictly as per BDA regulations and adequate police force had been deployed to maintain law and order.
