On Saturday (November 22), seven bulldozers of the Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) moved in and flattened the influence of coloniser Mohammad Arif. They demolished his three-storey garment and interior decoration showroom, gym, and a 16-shop illegal market near his Flora Garden banquet hall on the Pilibhit Bypass Road. Moreover, Arif is known to be a close associate of Maulana Tauqeer Raza, the main accused in the violence on September 26. Although BDA had already sealed its two banquet halls—Fahm Lawn, Flora Garden—and Sky Lark Hotel last month, the major demolition drive began only on Saturday.
Large police teams, PAC, and magistrates reached the site at 11 a.m. They first vacated the shops and the showroom. Then, all seven bulldozers roared into action, and the operation continued for nearly eight hours.
Heavy Police Presence
Police cordoned off the entire area, and under the leadership of ADM City Saurabh Dubey, the demolition began. However, traffic jams kept forming on Pilibhit Road. Before demolishing the shops on Jagatpur Road, the police even tied ropes around electric poles to stop traffic. By evening, the grand buildings had turned into heaps of concrete and dust.
How the Action Progressed
Demolition of Jagatpur Market
10 a.m. – BDA staff, police, and bulldozers arrived near the market.
10:15 a.m. – ADM City and CO-3, along with Magistrate Ratnika Srivastava, reached the spot.
10:30 a.m. – Power supply was cut.
11 a.m. – Three bulldozers started tearing down the shops.
4 p.m. – All 16 shops were reduced to rubble.
Showroom Demolition
11 a.m. – Two bulldozers and a police team reached the showroom.
11:05 a.m. – SDM Ram Janam Yadav and BDA officials arrived.
12 p.m. – With ADM City and the CO joining, evacuation sped up.
12:15 p.m. – Two bulldozers began the demolition.
6 p.m. – Only half the structure could be dismantled, so work stopped.
Showroom Too Strong for Bulldozers
The garment showroom near Flora Garden proved so strong that three bulldozers struggled to damage it. Even after continuous attempts till evening, the structure barely moved. Workers also hammered the walls of the banquet hall and showroom, yet they failed to bring it down.
Meanwhile, a poclain machine worked in Jagatpur market and cleared all 16 shops before sunset. Officials announced that they will use a poclain on Sunday (November 23) to finish the job in about two hours.
Bulldozers to Roll Again Today
BDA Joint Secretary Deepak Kumar confirmed that demolition will continue on Sunday. While 16 shops were fully brought down, a big portion of the showroom remains. Apart from this, other illegal commercial buildings of Arif—Fahm Lawn, Flora Garden, and Sky Lark Hotel are also scheduled for demolition. These buildings were constructed without approved maps.
Shops Built on Drain and Road Land
According to the BDA, all 16 shops in Jagatpur were constructed illegally on drain and road land. The demolition orders were issued in 2024, and the order for the Pilibhit Road showroom was passed in 2022. Although both structures were sealed a month ago and notices were issued, Arif never responded, which led to the action.
Past Actions Against Associates
Earlier, the Nagar Nigam sealed the novelty market of Dr Nafees, another close aide of Tauqeer Raza and an accused in the violence. That market has 74 shops and also houses the IMC office. BDA had previously demolished Nafees’s Raza Palace banquet hall in Jakheera. Likewise, a joint team demolished SP councillor Uman Raza’s illegal charging station in Bankhana and sealed the banquet hall of Sharafat, another close associate of Maulana Tauqeer, in Nariyawal.
Locals Share Stories of Influence
During the demolition, locals narrated several stories about Arif’s clout, though they avoided revealing their names. They said BDA officials never questioned Arif’s constructions, while ordinary residents faced strict checks even for building a small wall. In Jagatpur, Arif built the market on the drain and road land. Moreover, on Pilibhit Road, he reportedly bought plots at very low prices and erected multiple commercial structures. Residents of Aakashpuram Gate No. 1 recalled that when he began constructing the market two and a half years ago, no one dared to object. Over time, he occupied valuable land or pressured people into selling it cheaply.
