Sambhal mosque demolition: Case filed after "I Love Muhammad" posters and flag found inside

Police in Sambhal said a case was registered against eight people after 49 posters reading "I Love Muhammad" and a green flag resembling Pakistan’s were found in a mosque during demolition. Officers said the structure was illegal and built on graveyard land. Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq criticised the action and said he would go to court.

Police in Sambhal district registered a case against eight people after posters and a flag were found inside a mosque during demolition, officials said on Sunday. Investigators reported 49 posters carrying the "I Love Muhammad\" slogan. A green flag was also recovered. Police said the flag resembled the Pakistani flag.

Officials said the structure, called the Mustafa Qadri mosque, was demolished after being tagged illegal. The administration said it stood on land marked for a graveyard. Police linked the recovered items to concerns about public order. An investigation has started, and officers said they were verifying responsibility.

Sambhal district police case over I Love Muhammad posters

Additional Superintendent of Police North Kuldeep Singh said the recovery happened on Saturday. The action took place in the Nakhasa police station area, during removal of the \"illegal mosque\". Singh said police booked eight people, including mutawalli caretaker Zakir. The case used section 353 2, for statements conducing to public mischief, under the BNS.

Samajwadi Party SP MP Ziaur Rahman Barq objected to the case while speaking to reporters. Barq said, \"Posters reading I Love Muhammad and a green flag were found in the Kaserau mosque. I, too, possess such posters and could keep a green flag. What kind of case would they register against me for that?\"

Sambhal district administration on mosque land and eviction orders

Barq called the demolition illegal and said Barq would move court. Barq also claimed the mosque was about 150 years old. Barq said it was registered as Waqf property in the Uttar Pradesh Gazette since 1995. Barq added it was listed at number 1951.

Barq further questioned the legal basis for the police action. \"Under what provisions will a case be registered? If I love my Allah and my Prophet within the fold of my faith, which section of the law applies to that? Please tell me. On what grounds will you register a case? The police administrations responsibility is to ensure a society free from fear, not one filled with fear. What are you trying to say? he said.\"

The district administration said the demolition followed eviction orders issued by revenue courts. Authorities said the disputed construction covered about 1,200 square metres of cemetery land. District Magistrate Ankit Khandelwal said the mosque committee’s appeal was rejected. Khandelwal said the committee failed to show evidence backing its land claim.

SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said officials acted after legal steps were completed. Bishnoi said the demolition took place with heavy police deployment. Police said the probe will examine the recovered posters and flag. Officials said the case against the eight accused will proceed alongside the investigation.

With inputs from PTI