Key Points

KK Bishnoi, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Sambhal, stated that the administration carried out the demolition after no action was taken despite the 30-day deadline issued to the contractors.

"In Rae Buzurg village under the Asmoli police station in Sambhal, there is land for a pond and compost pits. They were given 30 days to demolish it. Despite the 30-day deadline, they still haven't demolished it; the administration has decided to demolish it themselves. It was illegal construction. They've been given ample time. Drone surveillance being done. They were operating the place like a madrasa and a 'Barat Grah'. It was built on several acres of land," Bishnoi told ANI.

District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya said that a marriage palace was built on the land of a pond.

"Action against encroachment is being continuously carried out throughout the district. This is the land of a pond on which a large marriage palace is built. The Tehsildar issued an order for its demolition 30 days ago. No appeal was filed after this, hence the demolition action is being taken today... All the parties were heard in the court. After that, the Tehsildar Court issued the order and we are proceeding accordingly... Everyone is of the opinion that if it is built illegally, then it should be demolished," he told ANI.

Earlier, on August 20, Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district administration initiated action against encroachments, with unauthorised shops and houses being demolished in heavy police presence.

Amid a heavy police presence, a crowd of people gathered while the JCB machine was brought in to demolish the illegal structures.

The demolition drive is part of the ongoing effort of the state government to clear illegal structures across the state. In Shravasti itself, 149 illegal structures have been identified, with notices being given to all of them. 140 structures have been sealed, and 37 others have been demolished, according to an official statement.

On August 7, the state government demolished 130 unauthorised constructions, sealed 198 and has served notices to 223 along Indo-Nepal borders spanning seven districts of the state in the last two months as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal encroachments.

The crackdown being carried out on illegal structures following the directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath includes Eidgahs, madrasas, and mazars among others.

- ANI