50-year-old mosque razed in Faridabad amid ongoing legal dispute, locals call it 'deliberate' act

A five-decade-old mosque in Faridabad, Haryana, was demolished on Monday triggering anger and sorrow among local residents.

The Aqsa Masjid, located in Badkhal village, was torn down by the municipal corporation despite the matter still being under consideration in the Supreme Court.

The demolition carried out under tight security with three assistant commissioners of police present, has drawn sharp criticism from members of the local Muslim community, who called the move hasty and targeted.

Mushtaq, a resident of the area, expressed deep distress: “The case was still pending in the Supreme Court. Why was it necessary to take action before a verdict was given? It felt deliberate. First, small shops were demolished, and now our mosque. We weren’t even given time to respond.”

According to locals, the mosque had stood peacefully for 50 years and was originally built on land donated by a former village sarpanch. Spanning approximately 600 to 700 square yards, the structure measured around 40 by 80 feet. Residents claim the site had never been contested until recently when municipal authorities began labeling it as an illegal encroachment.

“The land dispute has existed for over 25 years, but it was only in recent years that officials started calling the mosque unlawful,” Mushtaq added, rejecting the official claim of encroachment.

Municipal officials, however, insist the action was legally justified. A senior corporation official stated, “This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. The mosque was among a number of unauthorised structures on public land, and our actions were in line with legal directives.”