Bulldozer action continues in UP’s Sambhal, ‘illegal’ Imambara razed

Sambhal: Amid the ongoing demolition drive by the Sambhal administration against illegal encroachments, an ‘Imambara’ along with another structure was razed on Friday in the district’s Mukarrabpur area following a court directive.

Authorities said that homeless people belonging to the area will be provided settlements on government land on which structures, including the ‘Imambara’, were “illegally constructed”.

Sambhal District Magistrate (DM), Ankit Khandelwal, said that the bulldozer action was in compliance with the order of a Tehsildar court.

“Apart from freeing government lands of encroachments, landless families belonging to this village will be provided with settlement here. Action is being taken accordingly,” he told IANS.

Mentioning that more than 200 hectares of land have been evacuated within the last 40-45 days, he said: “We will keep on taking similar action.”

Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP), K.K. Bishnoi said: “Illegal structures are being demolished across more than 1,000 bighas of land, under which an illegally constructed ‘Imambara’ and another structure is being razed in Mukarrabpur.”

“These were made by encroaching the barren land related to an Anganwadi,” he added.

Bishnoi also said that the demolition process is being carried out after following the due legal procedure upon the receival of a complaint.

“Personnel from four police stations have been deployed at the site along with the Rapid Action Force,” he mentioned.

Further, the police official highlighted that people have been urged to vacate similar illegal encroachments, otherwise appropriate action will be taken against the owners and fine can also be imposed.

In a similar move earlier this week, the district administration had carried out the demolition of an allegedly illegal mosque and Eidgah ‘constructed on government land’ in Sambhal, acting on a court directive.

The demolition was undertaken in the Asmoli police station area amid heavy security deployment.

Officials said the 25-foot-tall minaret of the Eidgah was brought down first, while the demolition of the remaining structure continued through the afternoon.

More than 100 personnel from the Uttar Pradesh Police, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed to maintain law and order and prevent residents from nearby areas from gathering at the site.

IANS