On 11 January, the district administration carried out a demolition drive against the Abdul Shah Gani Dargah in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh. The dargah was nearly 50 years old and was declared illegal by the authorities.

Complaints against the construction were first filed in 2019. Since then, the matter remained pending in court. After completing all required legal procedures, the municipal body finally began the demolition action.

According to administrative officials, the dargah was built on government and agricultural land. Rules clearly state that religious or any other type of construction is not allowed on such land. A preliminary investigation confirmed that the structure was completely illegal, which became the basis for the demolition.

The Nagar Palika had earlier issued a notice regarding the demolition. Manuddin Ansari, who is associated with the dargah, said that around midnight on 10 January, he received a call from the administration asking him to clear all belongings from the premises by noon the next day. He said they were told that forceful action would be taken if this was not done.

Manuddin said they cooperated with the orders and began removing their belongings early in the morning. Around noon, a municipal team arrived at the site along with nearly 300 police personnel to prevent any violence. The area was evacuated and barricaded before the demolition started.

The demolition was carried out using three bulldozers and continued for over five hours. During the operation, the main gate, boundary wall, and three shops inside the dargah compound were demolished. Officials later began dismantling the dome, and the basement was scheduled to be demolished next.

While many people expressed anger over the demolition, authorities clearly stated that the structure was illegal. Heavy police deployment remained in place throughout the operation to maintain law and order.

Tags

• Abdul Shah Gani Dargah
• Deoria Uttar Pradesh

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