Sambhal faces renewed tensions as authorities demand the removal of a mosque and shrine built on land officially registered as a graveyard in Chaudhary Sarai. The administration issued a 15-day ultimatum, citing illegal structures. The Sambhal administration demands compliance, while the committee claims ancestral ties and Sunni Waqf Board registration for the graveyard.
This follows violent clashes in the region just two years ago during a court-ordered archaeological survey of the 16th-century Shahi Jama Masjid. On November 24, 2024, violence erupted after a court-ordered archaeological survey of the 16th-century Shahi Jama Masjid during which protesters clashed with police during the court-monitored survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a federally protected monument. The violence resulted in at least five deaths and left dozens injured, including over 20 police personnel.
On Wednesday, the local administration issued a stern warning to the committee managing a mosque and shrine, both constructed on land officially registered as a graveyard in the Chaudhary Sarai area.Authorities are demanding that the "illegal" structures be removed, adding further tension to an already sensitive issue in the district.
Now, the focus has shifted to the Chaudhary Sarai site, where a mosque and shrine dedicated to Dada Fakhruddin Rehmatullah have stood for generations. The Sambhal administration has issued an ultimatum to a committee overseeing a shrine and a mosque built on land recorded as a graveyard in the Chaudhary Sarai area, demanding the removal of the "illegal" structures, officials said on Wednesday.
Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh visited the site and served a notice, warning of legal action if compliance is not ensured.
The Tehsildar stated that the land is officially recorded as a graveyard, but a mosque and a shrine associated with Dada Fakhruddin Rehmatullah have been constructed on it.
He added that a large market is held at the site every Friday, but its organisers must now obtain permission from the sub-divisional magistrate before holding it.
According to the authorities, the land is registered as a graveyard and should be used only for burial purposes, not for a mosque or any other structure. The committee has requested 15 days and assured the administration that the weekly market would be discontinued and the structures removed within this period.
Meanwhile, if the directions are not complied with within 15 days, notices will be issued, and legal action will follow.
Tehsildar Dhirendra Pratap Singh, who visited the site, delivered an official notice to the committee overseeing the mosque and shrine. He warned that legal action would follow if the structures are not removed and the land is returned to its intended use as a burial site.
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In response, the committee managing the Dada Fakhruddin Rehmatullah shrine committee, Mohammad Sultan, associated with claimed that the shrine has existed for generations and is linked to their ancestors. He said people from all communities visit the shrine to pray.
Sultan added that the committee had informed the administration that the graveyard is registered with the Sunni Waqf Board in Lucknow and is used for burials.
"The mosque and shrine are places of worship and should remain as they are," he concluded.