Portion of 185-year-old mosque in UP’s Fatehpur bulldozed, authorities allege ‘encroachment’
The structure was demolished even though the mosque committee had approached the Allahabad High Court against the action.
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Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district on Tuesday demolished a portion of a 180-year-old mosque, alleging that it was obstructing the widening of a highway, The Hindu reported.
The structure was bulldozed even though the mosque committee of the Noori Jama Masjid had approached the High Court against the demolition.
The district administration cited satellite and historical images to claim that the demolished portion had been constructed in the past two to three years, PTI reported. The main building of the mosque was said to be intact.
In August, the district administration issued a notice to the Noori Jama Masjid, claiming that a portion of it encroached onto the Banda-Bahraich state highway. However, the management committee of the mosque moved the Allahabad High Court seeking relief earlier this month.
“The committee has filed some petition in high court but it is yet to be listed for hearing,” said Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Avinash Tripathi.
Notices were issued to 139 persons, including shopkeepers, house owners and the mosque committee, by the Public Works Department in August to remove the structures that were encroaching onto the road, according to Tripathi.
The department cited the strengthening of the road and the construction of drains as reasons for the removal.
“The Public Works Department had marked the encroached section of all the...
