The Uttar Pradesh administration carried out a demolition drive in Bahraich district on Friday, removing an alleged illegal madrasa and several shops built on Gram Sabha land in Singhpur village of Payagpur tehsil. The action was taken amid heavy police deployment following court directions.
Officials said a joint team of the revenue department and police administration reached the Ghisauna market area in Singhpur village to remove alleged encroachments from government barren land.
Madrasa and Shops Demolished
According to the administration, a madrasa, shops and tin sheds had allegedly been operating for years after occupying Gram Sabha land near a mosque in the village.
During the operation, bulldozers demolished the madrasa and eight to eleven shops, while some structures were removed one by one in the presence of officials. Authorities said the demolition followed an order issued after a legal dispute over the land.
Tehsildar Ambika Chaudhary said the drive was conducted in compliance with court directions.
“Gram Sabha land is public property and any kind of illegal construction or occupation on it is against the law. This action has been taken as per court orders,” Chaudhary said.
He added that the purpose of the operation was to free public land from encroachment so it could be used for works in public interest.
High Court Order Triggered Action
Officials said the matter was brought to court after local residents allegedly raised objections over the occupation of the land. According to reports, a village resident and his son moved the matter legally after they claimed no action was taken at the tehsil and district levels.
The court reportedly ordered the encroachment to be removed earlier this month, following which preparations for demolition began.
However, authorities said demolition of three shops was temporarily halted after documents were submitted claiming appeals had been filed before the ADM court.
Heavy Police Presence, No Violence Reported
The administration made extensive security arrangements during the drive to avoid any unrest. A large police force was deployed at the site, though officials said the operation remained peaceful.
“No law-and-order issue was reported during the action,” officials said.
Crackdown on Unrecognised Madrasas
The demolition comes amid a wider administrative exercise in Bahraich district, which borders Nepal. Officials claim that 495 unrecognised madrasas have been identified in the district, with some reportedly sealed or shut due to lack of required documents.
Authorities said identification of encroachments on Gram Sabha and government land is ongoing and similar action may continue in the future.
Tension in Aligarh Over Cemetery Land
In a separate incident in Aligarh’s Tappal area, tensions erupted after a JCB machine was allegedly used to carve out a path through cemetery land on Noorpur Road.
Local residents claimed several kutcha graves and part of a boundary wall were damaged during the digging. The issue sparked protests from people arriving for Friday prayers.
