Saharanpur, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A 20-foot-deep well has been discovered at the site of a mosque demolished within the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh, prompting authorities to call in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for an examination.
The mosque was demolished on Saturday after a court rejected an appeal filed by the Muslim side against the action.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Sadar) Subodh Kumar said the demolition was carried out in accordance with the court’s order and that the newly discovered well would be examined by an ASI team.
“Subsequently, a well has been discovered here which will be investigated by a team of ASI; only after that will we be able to speak about it,” Kumar said.
Police and administrative officials remain deployed at the site, while the well has been covered.
The demolition has triggered a political controversy, with Opposition leaders questioning the legality and timing of the action, while the BJP has maintained that the structure was removed strictly in accordance with the law after the courts rejected the Muslim side’s appeal.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput argued that a building that is around 100 years old should not be considered illegal and alleged that the affected party was not given sufficient time to approach higher courts. He also accused the government and administration of attempting to create communal polarisation.
JD-U National General Secretary Shyam Rajak, however, said the law must prevail irrespective of religion if a structure has been built in violation of rules.
“If mosques, temples, or churches are built in violation of the rules, the government acts according to the Constitution and the law,” he said, adding that demolitions carried out lawfully should be welcomed.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind National President Arshad Madani had earlier criticised the use of bulldozers against allegedly illegal properties, saying they were increasingly being viewed as instruments of “revenge, prejudice, and hatred” rather than justice.
FOLLOW NOW
