A mosque inside the Saharanpur Collectorate campus was demolished on Saturday morning, three days after a district court dismissed an appeal against an order holding that the structure stood on government land and was unauthorised.

The September 2 order did not itself direct demolition. It dismissed the appeal and upheld the July 16 magistrate order.

That earlier order had directed eviction of the mosque under the Uttar Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972, after holding that the structure occupied 315 square metres of government land.

Mosque Mutwali Tanveer Ahmed told that the order was for eviction, not demolition. He claimed the mosque was around 150 years old, and maintained that the land was recorded in their names. He said the mosque management would approach the court against the demolition.

Here is what the case was about.

What did the September 2 court order say?

The district court dismissed a civil appeal filed against the July order.

The court said the appellant had failed to establish, through reliable evidence, his claims relating to ownership and lawful possession of the property. It found no legal or factual infirmity in the trial court’s order.

There was no order for demolition.

The dispute

Saharanpur mosque before demolition (Special Arrangement)

The case concerned a 315-square-metre portion of Non-Z.A. Khasra No. 539.

Story continues below this ad

A revenue official had initiated proceedings in March 2025 against Abdul Hamid, the alleged manager and Maulvi of the mosque, alleging unauthorised occupation of government property.

The government side had argued that the land formed part of the Collectorate campus and was recorded in revenue records as government property.

The proceedings followed a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, a former Prant Sahyojak of the Bajrang Dal for Western UP.

The respondents, however, argued that because the land was non-Z.A (Zamindar), the Khasra entries relied upon by the government only showed the physical status of the land and could not by themselves establish ownership. They said ownership had to be determined from Khatauni and Khewat records, which, they argued, had not been produced.

What did the city magistrate court say?

The magistrate court rejected this argument.

Story continues below this ad

It noted that Khasra No. 539 had been recorded as Collectorate/Kachahri land in revenue records dating back to Fasli Years 1324 and 1359, and even earlier. On that basis, it held that the disputed land was government property vested in the State.

The court therefore held that occupation without lawful authority amounted to unauthorised occupation.

What was alleged about the Saharanpur mosque?

The government side alleged that the building had originally been constructed as a rest house for visitors within the Collectorate campus and that the respondents subsequently occupied it.

It was alleged that rooms on the ground and first floors had been taken over, that namaz was being offered there and that some rooms had been rented out to third parties.

Story continues below this ad

The petition also alleged that part of the government building had been converted into a religious structure without permission.

The respondents denied the allegations.

They alleged that the proceedings were an attempt to take over the mosque and the land on which it stood. They also alleged that relevant revenue records and other documents had been withheld from the court.