Saharanpur mosque demolished after court order

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh demolished a mosque within the Saharanpur District Magistrate's office complex early on Saturday, September 5, 2026, following a court order that declared the structure an illegal encroachment on government land. The demolition, carried out around 5 a.m. with heavy security, has sparked a political controversy and drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. The action was executed after the District and Sessions Court on September 4 dismissed an appeal filed by the mosque committee, upholding an earlier order from the City Magistrate's court dated July 17. That original order had declared the mosque illegal and imposed a compensation of approximately Rs 6.41 crore on its occupants for alleged encroachment and misuse of government land. The dispute originated from a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, who alleged the mosque was built unlawfully within the sensitive government complex and that its premises were used for commercial purposes, including a post office and rented rooms.