Sambhal, Nov 12 (IANS) The administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district on Thursday carried out the demolition of a mosque on Waqf land in Qutubpur Sakta area, as it was being illegally constructed without the permission of the Waqf Board, officials said.
The alleged unauthorised construction was underway in approximately 130 square metres of land. The administration ordered the demolition after the mosque caretaker reportedly failed to produce the required construction permission.
Large number of security personnel were deployed at the site to oversee the peaceful execution of the demolition orders.
Speaking to IANS, Sambhal Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar Singh said that the concerned land was declared as Waqf property by the Waqf Board.
“Any new construction cannot take place on a Waqf property without the permission of the Waqf Board. Here, people had not only carried out construction work but they had also started offering ‘namaz’, which was opposed by locals in the area,” he said.
The Tehsildar added that when the matter was probed by the District Minority Welfare Office in Sambhal, it was informed by the Waqf Board that no permission was sought from the body for any kind of construction on the land.
“That is why this illegal structure is being removed today…only those structures which have been permitted by the Waqf Board will be allowed, the rest will be demolished,” he said.
Asmoli Circle Officer Asmoli Aman Singh said that police and revenue teams were informed by the villagers around a month ago, that a mosque was being illegally constructed on residential land here, and that it needs to be stopped.
“Upon receiving the information, a joint team of the police and revenue department reached the spot and conducted an investigation, during which this construction was found to be illegal. During the course of the investigation process, directives were issued by the Sambhal SDM to carry out demolition action against any kind of illegal construction (on the land),” he said.
“Accordingly, police and other teams are present here today to ensure that the process is carried out peacefully,” the police officer added.
–IANS
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