Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh): In a major crackdown on illegal encroachments, the district administration in Sambhal on Thursday demolished an Eidgah and Imambara constructed on around seven bighas of government land in Bicholi village. The action was carried out using four bulldozers under heavy police presence, officials said.
According to the district administration, police personnel from five police stations along with a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) platoon were deployed to ensure law and order during the demolition drive.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nidhi Patel supervised the operation on the ground.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya told IANS that the action followed due legal procedure.
“A case was registered in January 2026 based on a complaint regarding encroachment on government land in Bicholi village. The matter was heard in the Tehsildar court, and after completion of the hearing, a 30-day period was given for filing an appeal. However, no appeal was filed,” he said.
He added that after the expiry of the appeal period, the administration scheduled the demolition, which was executed on Thursday with adequate deployment of police and administrative officials.
The District Magistrate said the land, spread over nearly one hectare, is highly valuable and estimated to be worth more than Rs 6.5 crore.
“This land is recorded as grazing land and manure pit land meant for village use. However, it had been encroached upon for personal purposes. Such encroachments will not be tolerated,” he asserted.
Pensiya also appealed to residents to refrain from occupying public land.
“If any encroachment is found, it will be removed in a time-bound manner and restored for public use,” he said, adding that the district has also created a land bank to track reclaimed properties.
A detailed press note will soon be issued outlining the total land freed so far in terms of area and value.
Meanwhile, the District Magistrate also referred to a similar case in Mubarakpur Band village, where locals themselves initiated demolition of an illegally constructed mosque structure.
“A portion of the structure still remains, and action will be taken there tomorrow. Due to the large size of the structure, a Hydra machine has been deployed, and demolition will be completed within a day or two,” he said.
Highlighting a growing trend, Pensiya noted that people are increasingly opting to remove encroachments voluntarily.
“As soon as they are informed about provisions under Section 67, they begin demolishing illegal structures themselves to avoid penalties,” he said.
SDM Nidhi Patel reiterated that the Bicholi land involved two Gata numbers — 1240 and 1242 — both designated for public use.
“Eviction orders were passed by the Tehsildar court, and a joint team of the Revenue and Police departments executed the action. Adequate security arrangements ensured that the operation was conducted peacefully without any unrest,” she said.
(IANS)
