UP: ‘Illegal’ mosque demolished in Saharanpur, Opposition MP claims house arrest

The authorities in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday demolished a mosque situated within the Saharanpur district magistrate’s office complex, The Times of India reported. The demolition followed a court’s decision to uphold an earlier order declaring the structure illegal.

Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan alleged that she was placed under house arrest by police at her Kairana residence to prevent her from travelling to Saharanpur, ANI reported.

The demolition followed a complaint by a former office bearer of the Bajrang Dal, who alleged that the mosque had been illegally constructed inside the district magistrate office complex, a sensitive government premises where confidential administrative work is conducted, The Times of India reported.

The Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad are part of a group of Hindutva outfits led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

On July 17, the city magistrate’s court ordered the mosque’s demolition and directed its occupants to pay around Rs 6.41 crore as compensation, citing alleged encroachment and unauthorised use of government land. The order was challenged before the district judge’s court, which on Friday upheld the decision.

On Saturday, the Kairana MP said that the mosque was sealed and barricades were erected around the area after a lower civil court passed its order. “People wanted to speak...

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