Bulldozer razes 50-year-old illegal mosque in Faridabad over forest land encroachment, says civic body
On 15th April, the Faridabad Municipal Corporation demolished a 50-year-old mosque in Jamai Colony, Badkhal village. The civic body took action stating that the structure was an illegal encroachment on reserved forest land. The matter travelled from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the Supreme Court of India over several years. The corporation cited directions from the Supreme Court as the legal basis for the action. However, local Muslims claimed that the matter was still sub judice.
Police-secured demolition in disputed zone
The demolition was carried out amid tight security. Around 250 police personnel, along with three Assistant Commissioners of Police, were deployed to ensure a smooth process. The municipal team arrived with bulldozers in the early morning and cleared the mosque along with other illegal constructions in the vicinity.
The area around the mosque was cordoned off. Locals claimed that they were not allowed within 100 metres of the mosque. Police reportedly warned of a lathi-charge if anyone tried to approach, claimed a local. A fire brigade team was also deployed at the site in case of an emergency.
Legal and local claims collide
The Municipal Corporation insisted that the structure was illegal and located on protected forest land. However, residents asserted that the land belonged to Badkhal village. They claimed that the demolition was in contempt of court, as the matter is sub judice.
A local resident told Dainik Bhaskar that the land was donated by former village sarpanch Rakka for the mosque. He said, “The mosque was built on a 40×80 yard portion out of a 600–700 square yard plot. A committee of 17–18 villagers is fighting the case in the Supreme Court. They had earlier built a boundary wall around the area and had said no action would be taken against the mosque. This demolition, while the case is still pending in the apex court, amounts to contempt.”
Civic body defends action, stresses illegality
On the other hand, the corporation’s legal advisor, Satish Acharya, firmly rejected the objections raised by the locals. He said, “The structure was an encroachment on government land. This is a reserved forest area under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). As per Supreme Court orders, no encroachment is allowed on such land. This was an illegal structure, and we have removed it accordingly.”
He added, “This is not the first time we have acted. All those who have grabbed government land will face action. We are recommending the area be handed back to the Forest Department for jungle restoration. This is forest land, and it must remain forest land.”
Land dispute running for over two decades
The land dispute at the site has reportedly been contested for over 20–25 years. The municipal corporation has continued to assert its authority over the land, while residents have maintained that it was community land given specifically for religious purposes.
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