Mosque representatives claim no prior notice was given before the demolition operation; administration defends the action
SAMBHAL — The demolition of the Mustafa Qadri Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district has left Muslim residents of Kaserua village with no place to offer daily congregational prayers. Community leaders are now demanding an inquiry into the demolition action and arrangements for worship.
The mosque was demolished by the district administration on Saturday after claiming that it was illegally constructed on government cemetery land belonging to the village council.
According to locals, the mosque was the only place of worship for Muslims in the area and was regularly used by people from the village as well as nearby areas. Community members say the last prayers at the mosque were offered on Saturday, shortly before the demolition took place.
Mosque caretaker Zakir Hussain alleged that the administration carried out the demolition without providing prior notice.
“No information was given to us before the action was taken. This mosque had been serving local people for many years,” he said.
Local Muslims said the loss of the mosque has created immediate difficulties, particularly for elderly worshippers who may not be able to travel long distances to attend prayers in neighbouring areas.
Following the demolition, Muslim leaders and clerics met district officials and urged them to make alternative arrangements for worship until the dispute is resolved.
Muslim community leader Firoz Khan, accompanied by several clerics, met Sambhal District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal and raised concerns about the impact of the demolition on residents.
Khan told the district administration that Kaserua village no longer has a mosque where Muslims can offer prayers and requested that a suitable place be arranged for worship.
“We have asked the administration to ensure that people have a place where they can perform their prayers. The village has been left without any mosque after the demolition,” he said.
Firoz Khan also disputed the administration’s position regarding the mosque’s status and claimed that the structure was a waqf property.
He described the demolition as unjustified and called for greater scrutiny before action is taken against religious sites.
“We have requested that any future action involving religious places should only be taken after a high-level investigation. Decisions should not be based solely on reports prepared by lower-level revenue officials,” Khan said.
Community representatives further demanded a fair investigation into a police case reportedly registered against members of the mosque management committee.
The case relates to allegations that posters carrying the words “I Love Muhammad” and religious flags were found at the site. Muslim leaders have called for an impartial inquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, the district administration has defended the demolition, stating that an investigation found the mosque was built on government land designated as a village cemetery.
According to officials, the structure stood on Gram Sabha land and was an unauthorised construction. Following the inquiry, authorities carried out a bulldozer operation and removed the building.
Officials said the action was taken to free government land from what they described as illegal occupation.
The demolition took place in the Nakhasa police station area, where Kaserua is a Muslim-majority village. The action has attracted attention from local religious leaders and residents, who are seeking clarity on the legal status of the land and the process followed by the administration before the mosque was removed.
The case has also renewed debate over the demolition of religious structures and the procedures that authorities should follow before taking action against places of worship.
While the administration maintains that the demolition was carried out in accordance with official findings, members of the Muslim community continue to question the process and are seeking both an independent review and immediate arrangements for prayers in the village.
As of now, the demolished mosque remains at the centre of a dispute between locals and the administration, with questions being raised about notice procedures, land ownership and the future of religious facilities for Muslims in Kaserua village.
