Sambhal authorities give 15 days to remove mosque, shrine on graveyard land

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 to remove 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.

Speaking to reporters, the tehsildar said 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 said that a large market is held at the site every Friday, but its organisers now must obtain permission from the sub-divisional magistrate before holding it.

 

"The land is registered as a graveyard. It should be used only for burial purposes and not for a mosque or any other structure," Singh said.

He added that the committee has sought 15 days and assured the administration that the weekly market would be discontinued and the structures removed within the period.

"If the directions are not complied with within 15 days, notices will be issued, and legal action will follow," the tehsildar said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sultan, associated with the Dada Fakhruddin Rehmatullah shrine committee, 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 said the committee 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 added.