Sealing operation takes place in Ali Gaon’s Masjid Colony despite pending court cases, raising grave questions on law and accountability
NEW DELHI — Around 300 homes in Masjid Colony, Ali Gaon in Delhi’s Okhla area were sealed on December 15, 2025, by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, pushing hundreds of Muslim families into the open during severe winter conditions. Residents say the action was taken without notice, without hearing, and without any plan for shelter, food, water, or safety.
The sealed houses stand in Masjid Colony and nearby lanes, where families have lived for decades. Many residents hold Aadhaar cards, voter identity cards, electricity connections, and water supply records issued by Delhi authorities. Children attend local schools. Elderly people and pregnant women live in these homes.
Yet locks were placed on doors, belongings were thrown out, and families were left to spend nights in the cold.
“We have lived here all our lives. My father lived here, my grandfather lived here. We vote here. Our children study here. One morning they came and locked our house,” said Abdul Rahman, a resident of Masjid Colony. “They did not give any paper. They did not listen to us.”
The sealing took place at a time when temperatures in Delhi had dropped sharply. Fog, cold winds and damp conditions added to the suffering. Women, children, the elderly and the sick were seen sitting outside their homes, guarding what little they could save.
“My children were crying the whole night,” said Shabana Begum, a mother of three. “There was no place to sleep. No toilet. No water. Is this how citizens are treated?”
Local residents said power supply was disrupted, water access became uncertain, and school-going children were unable to attend classes. Health workers warned of rising risks of illness.
“This is not only about land,” said a volunteer doctor assisting families. “This is about life, health, and dignity. Cold can kill.”
The UP Irrigation Department claims the land belongs to it, saying the houses were built on irrigation land linked to old canals and floodplains. Officials say the land falls under their control due to historical records.
Residents and lawyers point to a deeper problem. Before 1947, the United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh, managed canals and flood control in parts of present-day Delhi. After Delhi became a Union Territory, many land transfers were never clearly completed. This old administrative confusion is now being used to justify harsh action.
“The dispute is old and unresolved,” said advocate Nisar Ahmed, who is assisting residents. “The matter is before courts. Still, families were punished without notice.”
The case is pending before the Delhi High Court and the Saket Court, with the next hearing scheduled for February. Residents say sealing homes while the matter is sub-judice shows contempt for legal process.
Legal experts say the action raises serious concerns under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, which protect equality before law and the right to live with dignity.
“The Supreme Court in the Olga Tellis case made it clear that eviction without rehabilitation violates the right to life,” said a senior lawyer. “Here, people were removed in winter, without warning, without alternatives. This is unlawful.”
Many families say they have lived on the land for 50 to 150 years. Under the Limitation Act, long possession with state knowledge can raise claims of adverse possession. Residents ask why governments issued documents for decades and then suddenly treated them as illegal occupants.
Masjid Colony is a Muslim-majority area. Community leaders say the action fits a pattern where Muslim neighbourhoods face harsh measures, while similar issues elsewhere are handled slowly or settled through talks.
“This would not have happened in a powerful colony,” said social activist Saif Mahmood. “Poor Muslims are easy targets. No one speaks for them.”
Anger has grown over the role of Hindutva-driven politics, where bulldozer and sealing actions are often celebrated against Muslim areas. Rights groups say such actions deepen fear and mistrust.
“This is governance by force,” said a human rights worker. “Law is used as a weapon, not as protection.”
The crisis also exposes a failure of coordination. The residents are in Delhi. The action was taken by a UP department. The Delhi government, the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the Central government and local agencies have not provided clear answers or relief.
“Who do we go to?” asked resident Salim Ansari. “UP says it is their land. Delhi says nothing. The Centre is quiet. Are we not citizens?”
Experts say this shows a breakdown of federal responsibility, where ordinary people suffer due to government silence and rivalry.
As days passed, families said no temporary shelters were provided. No blankets, no heating arrangements, no toilets, no medical camps were set up by authorities.
“This is a failure at every level,” said a retired civil servant. “Administration exists to protect people, not to abandon them.”
The crisis also clashes with India’s own development goals on housing, poverty reduction and equality, as families are pushed deeper into hardship.
Residents and lawyers have demanded immediate temporary shelter, restoration of basic services, and a halt to coercive action until courts decide the land issue.
“The law must be followed with humanity,” said advocate Nisar Ahmed. “You cannot lock homes and destroy lives in the name of records from the British era.”
For families in Masjid Colony, the wait continues in the cold, with locked doors behind them and no clear authority willing to take responsibility.
“We are not criminals,” said Shabana Begum. “We only want a roof over our heads and respect as Indian Muslims.”
