Saharanpur, 5 September

An illegally-constructed mosque located within the premises of the district collectorate office here was demolished early Saturday, officials said.

The collectorate complex turned into a fortress Saturday morning as all five entrances were closed down while the general public, including lawyers, were not allowed to enter.

The demolition was carried out in presence of a large police force. Five companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed at the site to maintain law and order, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Saharanpur Range, Abhishek Singh said.

Additionally, police are maintaining surveillance in sensitive areas and conducting foot patrols and flag marches to prevent any untoward incidents, he said.

The DIG appealed to people to maintain peace and ignore rumours, saying that the demolition action cleared government land of encroachment.

The action came after a district court rejected the mosque committee's appeal against demotion on September 2, they said.

In 2025, Bajrang Dal regional convener Vikas Tyagi had filed a petition in the court of the city magistrate, alleging that the structure -- located within the collectorate premises was illegal.

A district administration official, on condition of anonymity, told PTI, "On July 16, 2026, the Saharanpur city magistrate declared the structure illegal and issued an order for its demolition. Subsequently, the mosque committee appealed to the district court, which on September 2 rejected its appeal, thereby paving the way for demolition."