On the day of Dussehra, the administration in Sambhal district launched a major bulldozer action. A marriage hall and a mosque built on pond land were demolished. While the administration used bulldozers to tear down the marriage hall, the mosque was voluntarily dismantled by the villagers with official permission. During the entire operation, the village was turned into a cantonment with heavy security arrangements.
Operation in Raya Buzurg Village
The incident took place in Raya Buzurg village, about 30 kilometres from Sambhal headquarters. According to the administration, the marriage hall and mosque were illegally constructed on pond land about 10 years ago. Government records show that plot number 691 was registered as a pond but had been converted into a marriage hall, while plot number 459 was recorded as a manure pit but had been used for a mosque.
30-Day Notice Already Issued
Sambhal SP K.K. Bishnoi stated that the structures were completely illegal. The administration had already given 30 days to the operators of the marriage hall and mosque to vacate. When encroachments were not removed, the action was carried out on Thursday. Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh explained that a notice had been issued on September 2. Revenue records and investigations confirmed the constructions were illegal, leading to demolition under Section 67.
Security and Administrative Strictness
The area was heavily fortified for the operation. Around 200 police personnel and PAC jawans were deployed. SHOs from four police stations, CO, SDM, and ASP (North) Kuldeep Singh were present on-site. Fifteen sub-inspectors and over 40 policemen were specifically assigned to monitor the demolition. Drone cameras were used for surveillance to prevent any untoward incident.
Marriage Hall Demolished, Villagers Voluntarily Begin Removing Mosque
On Thursday (October 2) morning, five bulldozers were deployed to demolish the 30,000 sq. ft. marriage hall. First, the walls were brought down, followed by the roof. The administration also intended to demolish the 550 sq. ft. mosque nearby. However, as soon as the bulldozer was used on the hall, villagers themselves stepped forward to demolish the mosque.
The mosque committee sought permission from DM Rajendra Pensia and SP Bishnoi, assuring that the mosque would be fully removed within four days. Villagers began dismantling its walls right away.
Cooperation of Villagers and Peaceful Atmosphere
During the action, local resident Mohammad Ansar offered tea to the police team, acknowledging that both the mosque and marriage hall were on government land. He admitted that the marriage hall was built with villagers’ contributions, though no charges were taken for events. Another villager, Zeeshan, mentioned that the DM had granted them four days, within which the mosque would be fully demolished. Remarkably, despite the large-scale action, no protests or confrontations took place.
Structures Built a Decade Ago
Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh revealed that around a decade ago, a local man named Minjar had constructed both the marriage hall and mosque. He was also the mosque’s cleric and caretaker of both premises. An administrative survey later confirmed that the buildings stood on pond and manure pit land. The revenue department then initiated legal proceedings under Section 67 and issued a notice.
Administration’s Firm Stand
SDM Vikas Chandra said no valid evidence was presented to prove the structures were legal. Although Minjar filed objections to the eviction order, he failed to produce any documents, compelling the administration to act.
Officials emphasised that no illegal construction on government land would be tolerated. That is why, even on Dussehra, major action was taken to reclaim pond land from encroachment.
