• Source:JND

A 'mazar' within the premises of The Doon School, a renowned British-era boarding school in Dehradun, was demolished following protests by right-wing Hindu groups. The incident, captured in viral videos showing a group of four to five men using pickaxes and hammers to dismantle the structure, occurred earlier this week, officials said.

Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal confirmed the incident but denied issuing any demolition orders. "We sent a team, including the SDM, to verify the facts and ensure law and order," Bansal told PTI, adding that he has sought a report on the matter.  

Swami Darshan Bharti, leader of the Hindu outfit Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan, claimed credit for advocating the shrine's removal. He had recently met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, urging action against what he described as ''land jihad'' within the school's boundaries. 

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"Whoever may have done it, I welcome the demolition. Why should there be a mazar within a school? That too inside the walls of a prestigious school like The Doon School... It shows the extent of land jihad in the state," Bharti said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The 'mazar', reportedly old but recently renovated by the school authorities, was built on land once owned by the Uttarakhand Waqf Board, according to sources. A Waqf Board official, speaking anonymously to PTI, stated, "Our records indicate 57 acres of the area once belonged to us, but its current status is unclear." Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams acknowledged the demolition but said the ownership dispute requires administrative investigation. 

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The controversy adds to the state's ongoing crackdown on ''illegal encroachments'' initiated in 2022. Over 5,000 acres of government land have been reclaimed so far under the drive.  

The Doon School, celebrated for its notable alumni including political leaders like former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is India's most prestigious boarding institution. However, it is now at the center of a sensitive religious and legal dispute.


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