ASI called to examine 20-ft well found after Saharanpur mosque demolition

Saharanpur: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been asked to examine a 20-foot-deep well that came to light after authorities demolished a mosque inside the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh.

The structure was pulled down on Saturday following the dismissal of an appeal by the Muslim side against a July order declaring it illegal and directing its removal. The City Magistrate’s court, headed by Kuldeep Singh, had on 17 July held the mosque to be an illegal construction on government land, ordered its demolition and imposed compensation of about Rs 6.41 crore on the occupants over alleged encroachment and misuse of state property. That order was upheld on 4 September by District Judge Satendra Kumar after hearing both sides.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Sadar) Subodh Kumar told IANS that, in line with the court order, the building had been demolished and a well was subsequently found at the site. “A team of ASI will investigate this well; only after that will we be able to speak about it,” he said, adding that police and administrative officials were present and the well had been covered pending the inspection.

The demolition has triggered a political row, with Opposition leaders questioning the legality and timing of the action while the BJP and state ministers said it was carried out strictly under court orders. Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput told IANS that “any 100-year-old building cannot be illegal; this is clear”, and alleged the affected party was not given adequate time to approach higher courts. He accused the ruling alliance of seeking to create “communal divisions” to divert attention from pressing issues.

JD-U National General Secretary Shyam Rajak, however, said that where constructions violate rules, “law takes precedence over religion and faith”, and argued that any demolition done in accordance with the law should be welcomed. A day earlier, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind National President Arshad Madani had criticised the use of bulldozers for such demolitions, saying they were becoming “less a symbol of justice and more an instrument of the politics of revenge, prejudice, and hatred”.

Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar rejected the Opposition’s charges, telling reporters in Ballia that the demolition of the mosque inside the Saharanpur collectorate premises was carried out in accordance with a court order.