Mosque leaders and villagers call the action selective and unjust amid growing concern over the continued targeting of Muslim places of worship
SAMBHAL — Tension returned to Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district on Sunday after government bulldozers demolished a mosque and a madrasa in Salimpur Salar, also known as Hajipur village, around 12 kilometres from Sambhal town. The action has caused fear and anger among local Muslims, who say they are facing repeated pressure and loss of religious spaces.
The district administration claimed the structures stood on gram sabha land and were illegal. Mosque representatives rejected the claim and said the land had been given decades ago for religious and educational use.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya told reporters that the demolition was part of a drive to clear government land. He said local residents had started pulling down parts of the structure even before the bulldozers arrived.
“We received information that villagers were removing the structure on their own. Our machines later completed the work. The villagers cooperated,” he said.
Officials said the cleared land would be given to 20 local Dalit families.
Tehsildar Dhirendra Singh said a fine of ₹78.8 lakh had also been imposed on the mosque management committee.
The administration stated that Madina Mosque stood on a 439 square metre plot and that a notice had been served two weeks earlier.
Yet, mosque caretaker Haji Shamim gave a very different account. “We were forced to break the front wall after pressure from officials. Later, bulldozers arrived and the whole mosque and the madrasa were flattened,” he said.
He added, “This land was given nearly 40 years ago on the condition that a madrasa would run here. We have documents. No one listened to us.”
Residents said children were studying in the madrasa and families depended on it for basic religious education. Many questioned why such action was taken without a final legal decision.
This demolition is not an isolated case. Over the past 14 months, more than a dozen Islamic sites in Sambhal have been removed or damaged during official drives. Muslim groups say the pattern shows one-sided action.
On 20 December, authorities demolished over two dozen shops and homes near a graveyard next to the historic Shahi Jama Masjid. Officials said the buildings stood on graveyard land. A Hindutva group had earlier claimed that stones were thrown from those buildings during clashes in November 2024, which broke out during a survey of the mosque.
The district administration said a survey showed nearly 1,000 square metres of the 4,780 square metre graveyard had been occupied. Muslim residents said the action punished many families without proof.
At the same time, a case linked to the Shahi Jama Masjid remains pending in court. A Hindutva group has claimed that the mosque stands on the ruins of a temple allegedly demolished by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. Muslim scholars and historians have rejected the claim and said it is being used to create pressure and fear.
Legal experts point out that the matter is still before the court and that any action linked to religious sites should wait for a clear verdict.
District Magistrate Pensiya has now said the administration plans to level the Malik Shah Baba graveyard near Shankar Chowk, again claiming it stands on government land. The announcement has deepened anxiety among Muslims in the town.
Tehsildar Dhirendra Singh said the first complaint against the Hajipur mosque was received in June 2018 and action was delayed due to official workload. Muslim leaders asked why sudden urgency appeared now.
A senior local cleric said, “Bulldozers seem to reach only Muslim places. Temples and other structures on disputed land are rarely touched. This does not feel equal.”
Another resident said, “We are citizens of this country. Our faith sites deserve the same respect and legal process as any other.”
Community members have appealed for calm but also demanded fairness. They say development and law should not become tools that hurt one community again and again.
As legal cases continue and more demolitions are hinted at, Muslims in Sambhal say they are living under constant fear, waiting to see which mosque, madrasa, or graveyard will be targeted next.
