The district administration in Sambhal carried out a demolition drive today (2 October) in Rae Buzurg village, aiming to remove an illegal mosque and a marriage hall built on land that belonged to a pond and compost pits. Local police chief SP KK Bishnoi said that the Mosque Committee had been issued a 30-day deadline to take down the structure themselves.

When they did not comply, the administration moved in. The committee later asked for an extra 4 days, but this request was denied.

“In Rae Buzurg village under the Asmoli police station in Sambhal, there is land for a pond and compost pits. They were given 30 days to demolish it. Despite the 30-day deadline, they still haven’t demolished it; the administration has decided to demolish it themselves. It was illegal construction. They’ve been given ample time. Drone surveillance is being done. They were operating the place like a madrasa and a ‘Barat Grah’. It was built on several acres of land,” said SP Bishnoi.

That statement captures the official position: the structure was deemed illegal, it occupied several acres, it was being used in multiple ways (as a mosque, a madrasa, and a marriage hall), and authorities had monitored it via drones.

This action followed a court order issued about a month earlier, which directed the demolition of the Rae Buzurg Mosque. The court had heard arguments from both sides and issued the order without it being challenged further. District Magistrate Dr Rajendra Pensiya explained that the illegal constructions, including the Janta Marriage Hall, were built on the pond land, leading to frequent waterlogging in the village.

To carry out the demolition, authorities deployed bulldozers under heavy police presence to ensure law and order. Residents were instructed to stay indoors during the operation, to avoid any clashes or safety incidents.

Mosque and Marriage Hall Built 10 Years Ago

Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh stated that the mosque and the marriage hall were built about 10 years ago. A local man named Minjar, who is also the Maulana of the mosque, had overseen their construction. During a district survey of illegal encroachments, this mosque and hall were identified.

Athar, a villager, said: “This marriage hall was built at a cost of around ₹60–70 lakh. Poor families of the village used to conduct the weddings of their sons and daughters here. Now where will the poor get their children married? People are crying after seeing the bulldozer action, meals were not cooked in homes. We had proposed to the administration that they give us some land elsewhere, but our request was not accepted. Section 144 was imposed here and we were stopped from entering. Now that a little relaxation has been given, we have come to remove the debris ourselves.”

Another villager, Irfan, said: “This was once a very big pond, which gradually dried up. After that, we raised money through donations and built the marriage hall. Now the government has demolished it. We are not protesting against this action.”

The marriage hall was razed using four bulldozers for four hours, after which the machines left. A police force remained deployed at the site. Villagers later began clearing the debris themselves.

Authorities Emphasize Illegality

SP KK Bishnoi reiterated: “This was illegal possession. They were given 30 days to remove it. When they did not comply, the administration had to act.” Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh added that the mosque had been marked earlier and a notice was issued on 2 September. Preparations for the bulldozer action were completed by Wednesday, including a village meeting where people were told to remain indoors. On 13 September, officials had marked the mosque and marriage hall with red paint.

During the action, Mohammad Ansar, a villager, offered tea to the policemen. He explained that the mosque and hall were on government land and that the hall had been built with public donations, where no fees were charged for events. Minjar, the Maulana, also served as the caretaker of both premises.

Another villager, Zeeshan, mentioned: “The DM gave us 4 days’ time. We have started breaking down the walls ourselves and will remove everything within 4 days.”

Political Reactions

On the bulldozer action in Sambhal, Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the state government, claiming: “The government is not following the Supreme Court guidelines on demolitions. Bulldozers are being used to commit injustice.” He also quoted poetic lines against oppression:
“Oppression, when it grows, ends up destroyed. Blood, when it spills, congeals. Oppression has no power; it is fire that cannot be extinguished, slogans that cannot be silenced.”

Villager Jagin said: “We are removing the mosque ourselves. The administration told us to do so, and we agreed. However long it takes, we will remove it.”

Large-Scale Operation

The marriage hall was demolished using five bulldozers—first the walls, then the roof. A heavy police barricade was placed around the area. ASP North Kuldeep Singh reported that officers from four police stations, along with a CO, SDM, 15 SIs, 40 policemen, and a platoon of PAC were deployed. Notices had been issued before the demolition.

SDM Vikas Chandra clarified that land records listed Gata number 691 as a government pond and Gata number 459 as compost pits. The marriage hall was built on 691 and the mosque on 459. A Tehsildar Court order on 2 September had directed eviction. Minjar filed objections but failed to produce documents, so eviction was enforced.

Tehsildar Singh confirmed again: the mosque and hall were built a decade ago by Minjar. They were identified in the encroachment survey, after which legal action followed. During the action, police and PAC personnel conducted a flag march, warning villagers not to come out unnecessarily.

A notice under Section 67 had also been issued by the revenue officer on 2 September. Evidence was demanded but none provided, leading to the demolition.

The mosque covered 510 square meters, while the Janta Marriage Hall occupied 2,810 square meters—both illegally built. During the hall’s demolition, the mosque committee sought 4 extra days to remove the mosque themselves. A notice was reportedly issued for this, but the DM did not respond.

SP Bishnoi stressed again: “They had been given 30 days. Even after that, when it was not removed, the administration decided to demolish it. This was illegal construction on several acres of land. Drone surveillance was in place. This was a very large area.”

According to police, a meeting had been held with villagers a day before the action. The mosque, located in Rae Buzurg village under Asmoli police station, had been built illegally on 439 square meters of government land. Complaints of encroachment on community land had been confirmed in an official inquiry. Occupiers were instructed to vacate by 20 September, but when they did not, the demolition was carried out.